-Economic and Political Weekly  The Government of India is considering a proposal to notify farming as an essential service. This is ostensibly to bring drought relief to farmers suffering from a weak monsoon - a laudable goal indeed. However, if farming is deemed an "essential service", farmers and farm workers could lose many of their political and civic rights because the government can then invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act to...

-Outlook Alleging a Rs four lakh crore scam in iron ore mining as the state government kept renewal of licenses in abeyance, Union Minister Srikant Jena today demanded exclusive rights to Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) over minerals. "The scam relates to renewal of licenses. Official documents show of the 107 iron ore mines in Odisha, 83 are operating by using 'deemed to' clause of the mining law," the senior Congress leader told...

-The Indian Express Full Planning Commission chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today approved 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) document that proposes to lower annual average Economic growth rate target during the period to 8.2 per cent from 9 per cent envisaged earlier in view of fragile recovery. "The Full Planning Commission approved the draft 12th Five Year Plan document, subject to certain suggestions made in the meeting," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman...

-Reuters India opened its supermarket sector to foreign chains on Friday after months of dithering, pushing ahead with the boldest reforms yet in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government as it tries to revive the country's tottering Economic growth. The government has decided to allow foreign airlines to buy stakes of up to 49 per cent in local carriers, heavy industries minister Praful Patel said on Friday, in a much-awaited policy move that...

-The United Nations A new United Nations report advocates that governments use fiscal and labour market policies to reduce income inequality, maintaining that this not only leads to social benefits but will spur Economic growth and development. Produced by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Trade and Development Report 2012 says that recent experience, especially in Latin America and other developing countries, suggests that progressive taxation and rising public...