-Brookings   India's agriculture policies aimed at improving its food security have received increased scrutiny following the December 2013 World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Bali, where India's position on this issue almost doomed the entire talks. In fact, the growing use of agriculture subsidies by India and other developing countries like China are changing the dynamics of the WTO negotiations for new agriculture subsidies commitments, where the focus had previously...

-Down to Earth   Officials admit that MGNREGS and rural road development programmes suffered shortcomings in UPA regime Senior officials of ministry of rural development have gone into a huddle following questions regarding the performance of various ministries thrown by narendra modi, who will take oath as prime minister on May 26. The cabinet secretary has asked secretaries of different ministries to prepare a power point presentation on why benefits from a number of...

-The Times of India   NEW DELHI: A swathe of ministries - from finance to fertilizer and petroleum - are going to make a case for a reduction in subsidies before narendra modi, a move that will push up your monthly expenditure but is expected to help the government cut wasteful spending and revive investment. Sources said the three ministries are identifying subsidies as a key constraint in their presentations that secretaries will make...

-The Hindustan Times   The all-powerful Planning Commission may shrink, made more accountable, and forced to think long-term under the new government. Prime Minister-designate narendra modi is likely to dilute its over-arching financial powers and convert it into a developmental think-tank. Five Year Plans, the main mandate of the Planning Commission, may be scrapped. Instead, the panel may have to draft plans with 10-30 years on its horizon. The 12th Five Year Plan...

-Reuters   NEW DELHI: The finance ministry is working on a proposal for the new government to cut welfare spending and rein in the deficit in its first budget, to allay fears of fiscal slippage that would increase the risks of a sovereign credit downgrade, officials said. Two senior ministry officials told Reuters the plan would make it possible for narendra modi's incoming government to reduce the current year's fiscal deficit and...