-The Hindu Business Line How the women of Deoria challenged the public distribution system malpractices Women no longer have to return empty-handed from the fair price shops mandated to give rations under the government’s public distribution system in village Bandgunia in Uttar Pradesh. Not only is the full quota of rice, pulses and sugar given, the shopkeeper in this village in Gauri Bazar block of Deoria district also ensures the women are informed...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: All banking institutions in India may soon chip in to increase India's forest cover in a coordinated manner. If the environment ministry has its way, all banks will be asked to join the central and the state governments in their ongoing efforts of afforestation. The move will be part of one of the 10 ways, identified by the Centre, to reach India's key climate goal. As...

-The Hindu Fears of plastic in eggs dispelled by laboratories in the State, but BJP wants samples tested at Central units Kochi: It has been a great egg scare in Kerala after hoaxers floated the theory that eggs sold in supermarkets in the State were not natural and actually came from Chinese factories full of toxins and plastic. The ‘Chinese eggs’ scare gained ground over the past few days after Malayalam media in...

-The Indian Express The opposition’s main contention is that the GM mustard hybrid incorporates three alien genes — barnase, barstar and bar — rendering it inherently unsafe for human and animal health. Fifty years ago, Union Minister for Food and Agriculture Chidambaram Subramaniam took the decision to import 18,000 tonnes of seeds of Lerma Rojo 64A and Sonora 64 wheat from Mexico. The seeds arrived just in time for their planting in...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In a stark indication of how far India has to go in developing its highway network, latest official statistics reveal that around 78% of national highways are either one or two-lane affairs. One third are less than two lanes, making the task of four-laning India's economic lifelines a challenging endeavour. A report of the road transport and highways ministry also shows that nearly 40%, including rural,...