-PTI IMD has forecast better than normal Southwest Monsoon for the year With pulses inflation high at 34%, a better monsoon would reduce price pressure in lentils and in turn food inflation, a latest report has said. Southwest Monsoon rains were lower by 16% as on yesterday. While June could still end with a marginal deficit, if rainfall remains adequate as forecast in July and August, it could provide much-needed support for growth...

-PTI New Delhi: Under pressure to control pulses prices, the Centre is hopeful of clinching a long-term deal with Mozambique for assured supply of lentils after the two countries had positive talks last week. Indian delegations last week visited pulses growing nations, Mozambique and Myanmar, to explore government-to- government arrangement for assured supply of lentils, especially tur, on a long term basis. "The delegation is back with long term solution in sight. The...

-PTI Prices of 42 essential medicines used in treatment of various ailments including tuberculosis, cancer, cardiac diseases, asthma, epilepsy and depression have been capped by the government, reducing their cost by up to 15 per cent. Drug price regulator, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), in a notification on its website, said it “has fixed/revised ceiling prices of 45 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I under Drugs (Price Control) Amendment Order, 2016.” “Out of the 45,...

-The Hindu Business Line ‘Astonished’ RSS-backed farmers’ body seeks immediate roll-back New Delhi: The Centre’s nod for 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in trading of food products with “no riders”, has not only raised the hackles of the Food Processing Ministry, which has been pushing for 15 per cent mandatory investment in creation of back-end infrastructure to reduce wastage and create jobs, but has also irked farmers organisations, such as...

-The Hindu Business Line New Delhi: To tackle the rising prices of pulses and check its shortage, a high-level government delegation on Tuesday left for Mozambique to explore import options. A Central team is already in Myanmar for the same purpose. The delegation, led by Hem Pande, Secretary, Consumer Affairs, also consists of senior officials from the Ministries of Commerce, Agriculture and MMTC and will explore short- and long-term measures to import...