-Outlook Mumbai: The Congress-NCP co-ordination committee in Maharashtra today authorised Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to take decision on increasing the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders from six to NINe. NCP state president Madhukar Pichad told PTI after the meeting of the committee that the issue of providing three additional subsidised cylinders was discussed. "We have decided that the proposal will be put before the Cabinet and decision will be taken at the...

-Outlook Maharashtra government today declared as drought-affected more than 6000 villages in Aurangabad, Pune and Nashik districts of the state. "A total of 6,250 villages, having crop yield less than fifty paise are drought-affected," Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Dr Patangrao Kadam said, adding various measures like organising fodder camps and pressing water tankers into service to cater to villagers are being launched. Kadam said as many as 2,894 villages in Aurangabad district...

-Outlook The aim of achieving food security across the globe will become increasingly elusive unless countries take into account the planet's nature-based services into agricultural and related planNINg, said a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme today. Safeguarding the underlying ecological foundations that support food production, including biodiversity will be central if the world is to feed the seven billion people, climbing to over NINe billion by 2050, according to...

-The Times of India The Centre has advised Naxal-hit states not to release hardened Maoist fighters as part of swap deals with red ultras, who have increasingly been using high-profile abductions to further their subversive activities. However, it has said that negotiations and low-value releases can be considered for the safety and release of hostages. The draft hostage policy, which will be discussed at a meeting of chief secretaries/DGPs of NINe Naxalism-affected...

-The Hindu Bangalore: Many persons with disabilities are jobless and unable to get or denied their paltry pension Seven-year-old Sadiya lies awake as her parents and siblings, who have just returned from an overnight trip to a dargah, catch up on their sleep. Lying on her back, no taller than an average toddler, she wails when she spots strangers at her door. Sadiya shares the tin-roofed 10 ft by 10 ft space...