-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government has virtually ruled out amending the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) to extend it to the private sector, a move that was recommended by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money to check the circulation of unaccounted wealth in the education and religious institutions. Sources in the government indicated that extending the scope of the anti-corruption law to companies and private individuals could...

-The Times of India PALANPUR/BHUJ: Heavy rain coupled with gusts paralyzed four districts of north Gujarat even as at least 27 people died across the state in rain-related incidents in the 48 hours until 4pm on Tuesday. Banaskantha district was the worst hit as incessant rain caused a flood-like SITuation, especially in towns bordering Rajasthan, the epicenter of deep depression that is bringing rainfall in Gujarat. "Eight people have died in the district...

-PTI NEW DELHI: The country has received only 83 per cent of rainfall in July with the SITuation in parts of central and southern India remaining particularly grim, even as the weatherman predicted an improvement in the SITuation in coming days. "Until now, July has witnessed minus 17 per cent of rainfall," India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said. He, however, said that there was no need to panic as...

-Hindustan Times A nutrition plan within the National Food Security Act meant for pregnant women and lactating mothers, a vulnerable group that skews India’s hunger indices, looks quietly buried. It still runs as a trial in 52 districts, two years after the landmark legislation was signed into law. The Centre hasn’t yet begun budgeting for it to expand the maternal health scheme to cover the whole country. While a parallel scheme under...

-The Times of India As crops fail, banks don't deliver and the government falters, Mandya's farmers find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous moneylenders Chenne Gowda has a Rs. 4 lakh albatross around his neck. The 55-year-old sugarcane farmer from Chikka maralli village in Pan davapura taluk, Mandya district, took the loan from private moneylenders but has no idea how he'll repay. His crop, on two acres, is wilting in the field...