-The Telegraph Nearly three-fourths of India’s land area received poor rainfall during the first four weeks of the monsoon season, and an active monsoon phase is unlikely within the next week, weather scientists said today. The poor rainfall has stirred concern among agro-meteorology scientists, tasked with translating weather information into advisories for farmers throughout the year, as the period for paddy transplantation draws closer. “Rain during July is always crucial, but this year...

-The Business Standard When the anti-Posco brigade celebrated the seventh anniversary of their agitation against the mega steel venture of the South Korean behemoth at Dhinkia near Paradip in Odisha last week, the noise they made against the project was drowned by the murmurs of a split in their ranks. After fighting against the project for the last seven years, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) seems to be disintegrating, with many of...

-The Telegraph Industries minister Partha Chatterjee today turned down a suggestion by CPM leader Surjya Kanta Mishra to follow the Tamil Nadu model by amending the central land acquisition act to fulfil its objective of returning land to Singur’s farmers instead of battling it out in court. The leader of the Opposition also assured Chatterjee that the Left Front would support the state government in the Assembly if it agreed to introduce...

-The Business Standard Days after the High Court here struck down the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced the state would double the monthly aid to Singur landlosers to Rs 2,000 a month. The announcement of an increase of Rs 1,000 in monthly allowances to Singur farmers was made by the All India Trinamool Congress on Twitter, quoting the chief minister. Earlier, the state government had announced...

-The Times of India RAJKOT: Right to Information (RTI) activist Natha Sukhadia, 38, a resident of Devaliya village of the Amreli taluka was attacked on Monday evening. Sukhadia, a farmer, alleged that the attack was carried out at the behest of agricultural minister and Amreli BJP MLA Dileep Sanghani. Sukhadia has filed a complaint against six people with the Amreli taluka police station. Bharat Kathi, Kishor Kathi, Ashok Kathi, Devendra Kathi,...