-Livemint The development economist on the Modi government's initiatives and his stand on them, and MGNREGS The Narendra Modi-led government should consider replacing inefficient subsidies with a basic monthly income for all citizens, says Pranab Bardhan , emeritus professor of economics at the University of California at Berkeley. Bardhan, who recently sparred with economists Jagdish Bhagwati and Arvind Panagariya in a debate over the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),...

-Deccan Chronicle THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Don't worry if the fruits and vegetables you buy from the markets are contaminated with pesticides. Here is a solution Veggie Wash which will decontaminate them. The product developed by the pesticide residue lab of Kerala Agriculture University will hit the market this month. Around 10 companies have bought the formulation and another 10 are in the queue. Veggie Wash solution was standardised by M.Sc students...

-Economic and Political Weekly   The High-Level Committee set up by the Narendra Modi government to review the major laws relating to environment protection has, in its recommendations, worked towards two sets of objectives: one, to separate business from the messiness of governance, and, two, to redraw the line of demarcation between the judiciary and the executive. Manju Menon (manjumenon@namati.org) and Kanchi Kohli (kanchikohli@namati.org) are with the Centre for Policy Research - Namati...

-The Telegraph Calcutta: Private companies will be able to buy farm produce directly from farmers in Bengal. But the widely-anticipated whoop of exultation from Indian industry over the amendment in the state's agri-marketing act was somewhat muted because of the lack of clarity on the issue of contract farming and the absence of clear guidelines on whether the state government would provide incentives and help in the acquisition of land for private...

-The Tribune BARC reports toxic metals in fertilisers as firms avoid costly decontamination process Bathinda (Punjab): The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has found high uranium content in diammonium phosphate and single superphosphate fertilisers that do not undergo the costlier decontamination process during production. The conclusion was reached after testing of soil and fertiliser samples. The Environmental Assessment Division of BARC sent a report on samples of DAP (diammonium phosphate) and single superphosphate...