-The Telegraph Saharsa: Farmers in the Purnea and Kosi divisions will go to school from next month to learn about the latest agricultural techniques and how to reap maximum benefit from their produce. As many as 210 farmers' schools will come up in the state, including Purnea and Saharsa, for which the government has allocated Rs 1.8 crore. Twenty-nine of the schools will come up in Khagaria. Agriculture director Dharmendra Kumar said: "These...

-The New Indian Express IDUKKI: Contamination of water bodies due to excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in the High Range areas has been constantly causing stress for cardamom farmer and farmer scientist Reji Njallani. This made him develop a method which would prevent the flow of hazardous chemicals into Rivers and other water bodies. After years of research, he has found a solution to the problem by developing what...

-The Hindu Dr. Mickey Chopra, global head of UNICEF's health programmes explained to R. Prasad why he was very encouraged by the efforts taken by the government to reduce child mortality, and how these efforts are paying off, especially in States like Bihar. * How is India doing as far as meeting the MDG 4 target is concerned? India is changing very quickly. We are seeing very encouraging signs... we are starting to...

-The Indian Express The Indian meteorological department (IMD) website states that Kautilya's Arthashastra contains records of rainfall and its impact on revenue, as well as details about relief work. Similarly, Kalidasa's Meghdoot, written around the seventh century, mentions the date of the onset of the monsoon and traces the path of monsoon clouds. Till today, forecasts are made on the same broad lines. Farmers like me still look towards indigenous knowledge for...

-Accountability Initiative/ RaghuBytes Unless you have a blocked nose, I strongly suggest that you do not drive from Bhubaneshwar the capital of Orissa, to Kandamahal, a remote tribal district, particularly in the evenings. At twilight, when you begin to wind into the interior, you are greeted with the sight of the behinds of the entire population squatting on the roadside, faces turned away and shitting. We quickly wound up the windows...