Environmentalists, civil society groups and scientists working with marginal farmers have welcomed recommendation of the Supreme Court appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC) placing a 10-year moratorium on field trials of GM crops in India. The TEC freeze advice includes field trials of Bt transgenics in all food crops which are used directly for human consumption. (See links below for the actual report and more details) The TEC, which was appointed in...

-Outlook Rising income levels in rural areas have led to an unprecedented demand for protein-based food items, leading to sustained pressure in headline inflation, says a Crisil report. "Rising incomes in rural areas are fuelling greater spends on protein products such as milk, eggs and meat in the hinterland. Overall spending in the country on protein food doubled to Rs 2 lakh crore in 2009-10 from 2004-05. Two-thirds, or Rs 1.33 trillion,...

-SamayLive.com A group of farmers began protests outside the residence of Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh in Delhi on Friday against the final draft of the Land Acquisition Bill . Farmers  gathered outside the residence of Jairam Ramesh and  are protesting against the draft Land Acquisition Bill that was cleared for Parliament by the government last week. The final draft of the  bill will now be placed before the Union Cabinet and is...

-Live Mint Bill will be put before cabinet in next few weeks; legislation is expected to address rehabilitation, resettlement  New Delhi: The government moved a step closer to put in place a new land acquisition policy, after a ministerial panel overcame differences and struck a compromise. The Bill will now be put before the Union cabinet for its approval in the next few weeks. If indeed the government sticks to the proposed...

-The Indian Express The group of ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today cleared the much-delayed Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill, after approving some relaxations which addressed the concerns expressed by several ministries. “The Bill is finalised. We have finalised the draft. Each and every issue on which there were different views, we succeeded in bringing some understanding,” Pawar told reporters after the meeting. Sources said the minutes of...