The commerce department has urged policymakers to lift export curbs on all varieties of non-basmati rice, which will ensure parity in the treatment of rice producers across the country. Earlier this month, the government allowed export of 1.5 lakh tonnes of the premium varieties Sona Masoori, Ponni and Matta, all grown in the southern states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The department has communicated to the empowered...

It was widely reported in the print media that G.D. Gautama, the Home Secretary of West Bengal, in his affidavit before the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court in the Netai killings affair, hesitantly admitted the existence of illegal armed intruders in that village while denying any knowledge of the existence of similar harmad camps elsewhere in the Jungle Mahal area. One cannot avoid applauding his gallantry in holding our national motto...

The Union Home Ministry is pressing ahead with pushing the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2005 for consideration and passing in the budget session of Parliament, even though it was summarily rejected by the National Advisory Council, which is currently drafting an entirely new law.Expressing surprise, NAC sources told The Hindu that Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had communicated to the government that the Council was drafting a new Bill,...

Having lost faith in the government for not conferring them tribal status, the Jhodia community in Rayagada district has threatened not to share their details to the enumerators during the census. The Jhodia population stands around 50,000 who live in around 85 villages, particularly in Rayagada's Kasipur block and eke out a living by collecting forest produce and engaging themselves as daily-wage labourers. "For the past several years, we are...

Corruption and inflation, the bugbears of UPA-2, dominated discussions Congress functionaries held with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee amid expectations from the party that a populist Budget would help check the negative tide against the Centre. Party leaders are hoping specifically for income tax relief for the middle class and concessions for rural populace as the budgetary antidote to the negativity post-2G spectrum scam. Mukherjee assured his party that prices would come down...