-The Telegraph The enormity of the real challenge before Manmohan Singh is far higher than that posed by Mamata Banerjee. A “perfect storm” is gathering around the economy, according to a Centre-commissioned report packed with suggestions for a series of tough measures that will affect daily life and test the government’s resolve to wade further into unpalatable waters. The report presented by the Vijay Kelkar panel, which was asked to suggest a road...

-The Times of India A new scam worth several thousands of crores has come to light. The Central Bureau of Investigation has started a probe into serious irregularities in awarding offshore mining blocks to private companies which did not fulfill the eligibility criteria. The CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against officials of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the ministry of mines as well as private companies which secured licences...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Consumers may get some relief as oil marketing companies (OMCs) plan to revise petrol prices downward due to falling international crude oil prices and a strengthening rupee. The Indian basket of crude oil fell to $106.74 on September 20 from $116 five days earlier, according to data published by the oil ministry. The rupee, which hit a four-month-high of 53.47 on September 21, is expected to strengthen...

-The Economic Times New discoveries of natural resources in several African countries - including Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique - raise an important question: will these windfalls be a blessing that brings prosperity and hope, or a political and economic curse, as has been the case in so many countries? On average, resource-rich countries have done even more poorly than countries without resources. They have grown more slowly, and with greater inequality...

-Live Mint Notwithstanding the drought, farmers have preferred to sow sugar cane and rice instead of opting for less water-intensive crops such as coarse grains and pulses. The latest sowing data released by the agriculture ministry as of 16 August shows that area under coarse cereals and pulses is down 13% and 12.39%, respectively, from last year, while that for rice and sugar cane contracted only 3.57% and 4.53%, respectively. In the process,...