-The Hindu The AP government should keep the MoUs (with investors) in the public domain. Let there be a debate on the MoUs -- Jayati Ghosh, economist VIJAYAWADA: Noted economist Jayati Ghosh does not agree that civil society has been indifferent to the problems presented to farmers due to the land acquisition tactics adopted by the State Government in gathering land for its capital city project. The academic, who headed a commission that investigated...

-The Hindu Study finds that bondage has spread from farm sector to fast-food chains, carpet-making units BENGALURU: The banned system of bonded labour, albeit with a new twist, still survives among us. About 7,646 people are forced to work in bondage in different districts of Karnataka, according to a report submitted by a committee constituted to study the prevalence of the practice in the State. The committee, headed by journalist Sivaji Ganesan, submitted...

-Hindustan Times New Delhi: The monsoon, in its withdrawal phase now, has revived over key drought-hit states that account for over a third of India’s food output, offering respite to millions of farmers battling tough conditions and a government staring at a rural crisis. The late surge, not unusual, has narrowed current rainfall deficiency from 16% to 15% for the June-September season. Overnight, Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region and the states of Chhattisgarh, Telangana...

-Hindustan Times The Cabinet on Wednesday took two decisions that focus on rural India: First, it approved an additional 50 days of work for farmers/workers under the MGNREGS over and above the 100 days in areas where drought or natural calamities have been notified; and, second, it okayed a plan to develop a cluster of ‘smart villages’ to transform rural areas to economically, socially and physically sustainable spaces. The two decisions...

-Livemint.com Despite reeling under a severe monsoon deficit, the region has seen a surprise fall in demand for jobs under MGNREGS New Delhi: Although reeling under a severe monsoon deficit for the second year in a row, the Marathwada region of Maharashtra has seen a surprise fall in demand for jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)—the result, said experts, of years of government neglect, low wages...