-Business Standard IWMI supported them financially for purchase, installation of pumps and solar panels by funding Rs 40 lakh so far Ahmedabad: With the help of Colombo-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI), six Gujarat farmers have formed world’s first solar power cooperative society to sell surplus power generated from solar water pumps installed at their farms. After conducting a successful pilot project of connecting farmer with the grid at Anand district of Gujarat,...

-The Times of India BANDA: In Uttar Pradesh's parched Bundelkhand region, one farmer is scripting a success story, and has set an example in a region ravaged by farmers' suicide and drought. Locals and activists are now approaching Prem Singh to find out how his practices have transformed his farm into a lush area. Bundelkhand, according to the estimates of NGO Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan, has seen 113 farmers' suicides since January...

-BBC French economist Thomas Piketty says there is still a "huge" gap in data about income tax in India. Official figures just released show only 1% of Indians paid tax in 2013, while 2% filed a tax return. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that publishing the data was a "big step towards transparency and informed policy-making". But Mr Piketty told the BBC the data was too thin to draw significant conclusions about levels of...

-Livemint.com Ministries handling drinking water and sanitation, rural development, Land resources, and urban development asked to take up an integrated action plan New Delhi: Streamlining measures to tackle the drought in the country, the centre directed on Monday different ministries to release additional funds to states. Cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha directed the ministries—drinking water and sanitation, rural development, Land resources and urban development—to take up an integrated action plan for optimally using...

It seems that not only civil society activists, but even the poor and marginalized themselves are not happy with the Centre’s social welfare policies. Following the recent protest by 150 eminent persons regarding failure of the NDA Government to take-up urgent measures for employment generation and ensuring food, nutrition & drinking water security in the backdrop of severe drought in roughly 1/3rd of Indian districts (please click here to access),...