-The Indian Express The scheme should be refocused towards creating durable assets in agriculture. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has a significant influence on agricultural operations and cultivation costs. If its present focus on community works can be reoriented to proactively promote improvements on the landholdings of small and marginal farmers through the creation of durable assets, it will be beneficial for agricultural productivity and incomes. Critics say that...

-RisingKashmir.com   Horticulture encroaching upon paddy land  Srinagar: Agriculture land has shrunk by 2 lakh hectares since 1996, economic survey reveals. The survey reports that 10 lakh hectares were under agriculture production during 1995-96 which has reduced to 8 lakh hectares in 2013. Experts said that reduction in the agriculture land has decreased its contribution to states economy also. On the other hand, the horticulture has also developed into a major sector in Jammu and Kashmir's...

-The Times of India BANGALORE: The state reported 1,061 cases of rapes in 2013 - the maximum in the last three years. This includes 563 cases of rape on minors. However, only 26 persons were convicted of rape last year. And the number of rape accused convicted in the first half of this year is zero. The information was provided by home minister KJ George while replying to C Motamma (Congress) in...

-The Hindu Business Line     Facing criticism for rising prices, the Modi Government has blamed public expenditure on schemes such as MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) for fuelling food inflation. Curiously, the BJP wants the job scheme to continue, with the focus mainly on agriculture. According to the agenda note circulated for Friday's Conference of State Food Ministers with the Centre, food inflation is caused by both demand and supply...

-Live Mint India is concerned that the ministerial decision on public stockholding for food security purposes is getting sidelined New Delhi: India has told the World Trade Organization (WTO) that it will not ratify the trade facilitation (TF) agreement for faster and more efficient customs procedures because there has been no progress on finding a permanent solution to the important issue of food subsidy caps, prompting developed nations to accuse India of...