PMO suggests adopting cluster approach to boost food output; FCI asked to enhance storage capacity With the National Food Security Bill set to be introduced in Parliament, the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has taken initiatives to boost the farm sector, including steps to increase the production of pulses and oilseeds. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), after a meeting on Tuesday to review the agriculture sector, has asked the agriculture...

Jairam Ramesh's removal as Environment Minister creates uncertainties for domestic environment policy and the deadlocked global climate talks. WHATEVER one may think of its overall impact, the recent Cabinet reshuffle was not exactly a damp squib. Its single most important component was Jairam Ramesh's replacement as the Minister of State with independent charge in the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) by Jayanthi Natarajan, a relative political lightweight with very little...

-The Hindu   The Coalition for GM-Free India has expressed concern over the way field trials for genetically modified crops and seed production were being allowed in the State. At a national meet here, the Coalition wanted the government to disallow these trials as was done by States like Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Chhattisgarh. Cautioning against any move to revoke the requirement of State's no objection certificate (NOC) for any...

-The Business Standard   Allaying miners' apprehensions, Coal India today said the 26% profit sharing clause in the proposed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act will help mining firms ensure more production. "The proposal had some impact on the stocks. But, people have now realised that with this, land availability will go up and with that, production," Coal India Chairman NC Jha said. Coal India, the country's largest coal miner, is expected...

A government panel has said the 'Go, No-Go' concept of forest area classification for clearances tocoal blocks is legally not tenable and should be abandoned. The environment ministry's ban on mining in areas of thick forest cover has locked away millions of tonnes ofcoal reserves. According to the power ministry, coal shortage is likely to hold up new power projects of over 17,000 mw aggregate capacity. This has triggered debate among...