-The Indian Express We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to succeed in his national campaign to tackle the vast problems of the poor in Bharat. But his one-time contractor turned Union minister for rural development is succeeding in making his own prime minister look contradictory and indecisive to the nation and the world. The prime minister talks about constructing toilets and improving sanitation, opening bank accounts for every poor, excluded family,...

-The Indian Express Moves to dilute labour-material ratio in MGNREGA and focus exclusively on select backward blocks will adversely impact rural poor. Before the general elections, free-market fundamentalists had lobbied fiercely to reshape so-called wasteful social-sector expenditures. Primary among their targets was the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which, according to them, should become an unconditional cash transfer scheme. Post-elections, the late Gopinath Munde's espousal of the MGNREGA went...

-The Business Standard The state govt will rent out heavy machinery to farmers on a rental basis Dharwad (Karnataka): Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda has said that the government will open 186 customised centres in the state to enhance yield and overcome the shortage of agriculture labourer. Through these centres, the government will rent out heavy machinery to farmers on a rental basis. He said this at the opening of the Krishi Mela...

-The Hindustan Times Kapurthala (Punjab): Direct seeding of rice (DSR) and paddy straw management were the major issues at the Kisan Mela held in the city on Thursday. The mela, organised by the agriculture department in association with the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), began with a message of 'save environment, say no to burn paddy straw'. Four farmers, including a woman, were honoured for using DSR technology in paddy farming. The technology...

-The Hindu The Prime Minister's call for making India a manufacturing hub and creating jobs should boost small and medium enterprises as well Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Make in India' campaign is creating waves both in India and abroad. Given the government's intention to boost domestic manufacturing and create new jobs, its proposal to introduce a new policy for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) deserves a closer look. While Mr. Modi's...