On the eve of the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Pranab Mukhrejee, Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav said here on Sunday that his party wanted an agriculture-friendly budget and that emphasis be given to protect the Fertile Land of the country. “The Budget should take measures to save the agricultural sector of the country for the sake of food security. Steps should be taken to save the...

Buoyed by the imminent scrapping of Reliance Industries-promoted Mumbai special economic zone, aggrieved farmers and activists are now gunning for seven other proposed SEZs in Maharashtra. Anti-SEZ groups will soon agitate to demand denotification of the Fertile Land earmarked for projects in the Konkan, western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha. The activists got a shot in the arm on Friday when their four-year struggle forced the government to denotify 16,900 acres of land...

After feeding the country, the enterprising farmers of Punjab now want to try their hands in Ethiopia. The progressive farmers, mainly members of Poscon (Confederation of Potato Seed Farmers), are planning to take 2,000-5,000 hectares farmland on lease in Ethiopia for growing cash crops like oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane and maize. The delegation of the progressive farmers has twice visited Ethiopia on the invitation of Ethiopian government. Speaking to Business Standard, Poscon...

Tensions run high within the Christian community in Thachur village, and the government has adopted a hands-off approach for now. THE wrinkles on S. Royappan's face are a result of advancing age, but the ridges and furrows in them tell a story of humiliation of this Dalit Christian, as also others like him. Royappan, 82, was a bonded labourer, or padiyaal, in Thachur village in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram district, but...

Nitish calls for balanced view on proposed plant in Chainpur Agitators allege misinformation on perceived hazardous fallouts of proposed plant “17.8 acres of land acquired to set up the factory is cultivable, fertile” Taking note of the mounting public uproar against the proposed asbestos factory at Bishnupur-Chainpur village in Muzaffarpur district, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said “there was no ban on setting up asbestos factories in India.” Mr. Kumar, however, said...