-The Hindu As Marathwada’s groundwater table plummets to 500 ft, farmers here, as in other districts, are freely violating the law in a frantic bid to strike water. Mahadeo Mule has invested Rs. 1 lakh during the past five months to save his crops and livestock, drilling at five different points on his land, despite already having a borewell. He has also spent close to Rs. 35,000 on water from private...
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Runaway food prices highlight the need to unshackle the farm sector
-The Times of India Why isn't aam admi smiling? The question's relevant, since some cheer's apparent in government circles over wholesale price index-based inflation falling to 6.62% in January. Headline inflation, it's said, will drop further by March-end. To common people, the WPI inflation figure's a meaningless number. If WPI inflation's dipped a fourth successive month, food prices have been riding high for far longer. Policymakers periodically recommend release of foodgrains from...
More »The Doctor Only Knows Economics-Lola Nayar and Amba Batra Bakshi
-Outlook This could be the UPA’s worst cut to its beloved aam admi. Healthcare has virtually been handed over to privateers. Not For Those Who Need It Most Govt seems to have abandoned healthcare to the private sector Diagnosing An Ailing Republic 70 per cent of India still lives in the villages, where only two per cent of qualified allopathic doctors are available Due to lack of access to medical care, rural India...
More »Hike in diesel, cooking gas prices on anvil
-The Times of India Brace for higher fuel bills as the government has formally started the consultation process for raising diesel and cooking gas prices - the latter with an increased annual cap of nine subsidized refills - in line with the recommendations of a finance ministry panel. The committee under former bureaucrat Vijay Kelkar, tasked to suggest a roadmap for cutting fiscal deficit, has suggested raising diesel price periodically to align...
More »CEOs give new land acquisition Bill the thumbs down
-The Business Standard The Bill will negatively impact new projects, with land acquisition cost going up by as much as 150%, say industry captains After the initial euphoria, leaders of India Inc are realising that the proposed Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill will not make their lives easier. Instead, it will negatively impact new projects, with land acquisition cost going up by as much as 150 per cent, making large projects...
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