-Down to Earth Sikkim will be the first Indian state to go wholly organic. But lack of markets can become counterproductive Applause echoed in the Lok Sabha in the Budget session when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took pride in announcing Sikkim as the first Indian state to go wholly organic. In his speech, he acknowledged the “hard work that the farmers of Sikkim had put in” and added, “If a small state...
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Narendra Modi government's first year sees record farmer suicides -Yogesh Pawar
-DNA From May 20, 2014 to May 24, 2015 has seen as many as 1,306 farmers suicides, a 40% jump from last year. In the middle of the media blitzkrieg over the completion of a year in office of the Narendra Modi government comes the information that it is anything but 'achche din' in the farmer suicide country of Vidarbha. From May 20, 2014 to May 24, 2015 has seen as many...
More »Modi government cuts social sector allocations to states by half to promote cooperative federalism
-The Economic Times BENGALURU: As the central government devolves more fiscal freedom to the states, they seem to be cutting allocations to social sectors, especially agriculture and allied areas in response, according to the initial findings of a study. The Narendra Modi administration wants to empower states further as part of a push toward cooperative federalism. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's February Budget cut allocations to the states by more than half in...
More »‘Decline began in late UPA rule’ -Mehboob Jeelani
-The Hindu Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh: In February, Ram Aathray, a 37-year-old farmer from Mahoba, lost most of his crop to a hailstorm. His four acres of land produced a mere two quintals of wheat. “It’ll only last for four months,” he fears. He could take a mortgage loan but he’s saving that for his daughter’s wedding. The only option would be to migrate to Delhi and work on a construction site....
More »The Lie Of The Land -Pavithra S Rangan
-Outlook In MP’s Bundelkhand region, a sarpanch-babu nexus means NREGA benefits dry up for the poor The Paper Trail How social sector cuts are playing out in one of India’s poorest parts For the first time ever, in 2014, Rs 1,000 cr, of a sanctioned Rs 4,000 cr Budget for NREGA, not given to MP In 2015, only a small part of the Budget released for two months. NREGA top officials say funds always...
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