Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday denied that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had sought his explanations on the rising prices of onions and other agricultural commodities. In a brief chat with the media persons on the sidelines of the two-day “Coop Core – 2010,” heralding the nationwide launch of the core banking solutions (CBS) for the urban cooperative banks, which began here on Saturday, Mr. Pawar said he too had...

Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily on Saturday said the Centre was committed to implementing all recommendations of the Rajinder Sachar Committee on minorities' welfare. In a brief chat with journalists, on the sidelines of the 19th “International educational conference” of the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin here, Mr. Moily said the Centre had already identified 90 districts with a large concentration of minorities where it would implement the...

The Centre today sought to justify the export ban on onion by saying that the wholesale price of onion in Nashik, the country’s largest wholesale hub for the bulb crop, had declined by 33 per cent to Rs 2,500 per 100kg or Rs 25 a kg. The impact will not be felt immediately on kitchen budgets as it will take some time – “two to three weeks”, according to Sharad Pawar...

With the Union government refusing to play Santa Claus and regulate market forces, the merciless rise in onion prices threatens to mar Christmas, New Year and Makar Sankrantri festivities. With several markets reporting a further rise in prices to about Rs.85 a kg, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened, by directing the Ministries of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs to take steps to bring its prices to affordable levels. According to sources, the Prime...

India's government has banned the export of onions after the vegetable doubled in price in the past week. The rise has been blamed on unusually heavy rains in growing areas, as well as on hoarders and speculators. Prices have jumped to 70 rupees ($1.55; £0.99) per kg from 35 rupees last week. The ban is until 15 January and India is importing onions to ease shortages. Onions are a basic ingredient in many...