With more than 60% of Bihar reeling under drought-like conditions and the state recording 20% rainfall deficit, the government is set to declare over two dozen districts drought-hit, officials said on Monday. "The state CABinet in its meeting Tuesday will formally declare more than two dozen districts drought hit," said an official of the state disaster management department. Vayasji, principal secretary of disaster management department, told IANS that the drought...

In an attempt to further subsidise short-term crop loan to farmers, the Union CABinet on Friday approved release of Rs 4,868 crore to public sector banks. The decision will ensure that farmers, in general, receive short-term crop loan at 7% per annum (5% for prompt payers) with an upper limit of Rs 3 lakh on the principal amount during 2010-11. "The Union CABinet today gave its approval for the release...

At a time when agriculture production has become key to economic expansion, the Union CABinet on Friday will consider a proposal to fulfill its promise of crop loans at a cheaper rate of 5% to farmers who make timely repayment. In the current year's budget, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had proposed to give up to 2% interest rate subvention to farmers who do not default on their repayments, making the...

In a bid to instil a sense of belonging among people living in the Naxal-affected states of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, the government is considering the inclusion of 185 castes in the Central list of OBCs, which will entitle them to a slew of benefits. Sources in the government said, “A proposal to this effect from the ministry of social justice is high on the agenda of the Union CABinet, which will...

It's not China's special economic zones that chief minister Narendra Modi wants to replicate in Gujarat. The state government has taken a leaf out of the Chinese cultural revolution of late 1960s, when Mao Zedong formally attacked "western trained" medical system and floated the concept of ‘barefoot doctors'. The health ministry has decided to compensate for sharp shortage of allopathic doctors in the state by making large-scale appointment of barefoot...