-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: Production of horticulture crops such as fruit and vegetables have seen an increase over the previous year. The production is estimated at 295 million tonnes in 2016-17 crop year ending June, shows the second advance estimates released by the agriculture ministry on Tuesday. Compared to the previous year when production was 286.18 million tonnes, the harvest is 3.1% higher. It is also 2.7% higher over the first...

-The Indian Express The proposed total ban on cattle slaughter goes against Supreme Court decisions on the matter since 1959 Less than a week ago, the Central government notified rules, many of which are as unconstitutional as they are senseless: A person is prohibited from bringing any type of cattle to an animal market for sale for slaughter. First, why is it unconstitutional? The ban on slaughter of cattle was a politically...

-Firstpost.com Dr Mano Ranjan has been working at the Institute of Infectious Diseases situated on the Anantapur-Kadiri Road in Andhra Pradesh since 2009. This is the premier institute for the entire Rayalaseema region (southern Andhra Pradesh) for those suffering from HIV/AIDS. Dr Ranjan gets 25 new HIV/AIDS patients every day. "It is a ticking time bomb," he says. Thirty percent of the cases are from hamlets in and around Kadiri, unarguably the...

-Business Standard Reportedly, Bibek Debroy suggested to tax Agricultural income, which led to a public outcry Over the past few days, India’s agriculture has received much public attention for two apparently contradictory concerns. The first issue was the possibility of taxing Agricultural income. NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy reportedly suggested this move for widening the tax base and pruning exemptions. However, this led to a massive public outcry and within a few...

-Livemint.com A detailed look at Labour Bureau’s Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) methodology and design suggests that one shouldn’t read too much in these numbers New Delhi: Opposition parties and many commentators have been citing the Labour Bureau’s Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) numbers to attack the government over failure to generate employment). How credible are such claims? A detailed look at QES methodology and design suggests that one shouldn’t read too much in...