-The Hindu Parliamentary panel pushes for it in all government schools in coming academic year The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has recommended that all government schools start providing free breakfast in the coming academic year, as part of an expansion of the mid-day meal scheme envisaged by the National Education Policy. However, Education Ministry officials say a severe funding crunch is likely to delay the initiative. Free breakfasts would involve an additional...

-Down to Earth The Japanese government’s own figures reveal this, the organisation says in a report to mark 10 years of the disaster Just 15 per cent of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant’s core area in Japan has been decontaminated a decade after it suffered a catastrophic triple reactor meltdown March 11, 2011, according to a report by non-profit Greenpeace International. An overall average of 15 per cent of the Special Decontamination Area...

-Hindustan Times An affidavit enclosed with the application submitted by YS Malik, principal secretary, mines and geology, in March 2010 said in the Aravallis, opencast mining is followed, and stocks once mined are removed from the site and can never be replenished Haryana has sought the resumption of stone mining in the Aravallis over a decade after the Supreme Court in 2009 suspended extraction of all major and minor minerals in the...

-The Hindu Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development slams government laxity in raising amounts. The Centre must increase the “meagre” pensions provided for poor senior citizens, widows and disabled people, said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development in its report submitted to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The panel also slammed the government’s “laxity in raising the amount, pointing out that recommendations to increase the sums have been made for the...

-Livemint.com * In 2006, Bihar abolished state-run mandis. What followed is a forewarning for India’s new farm laws * The system is rigged in favour of the traders who cheat on every possible parameter—from weight to moisture level—which is why very few farmers come to Bihar’s mandis to sell produce ARARIA/ PURNEA: Biren Bahardar thinks he is too small to raise his voice. Local traders can fleece at will while purchasing his harvest....