-The Hindu Utilisation certificates not given for 50% of money sanctioned after 2018 deluge, says Centre The Centre will not allot any additional assistance to Kerala from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as it has failed to produce utilisation certificates for 50% of over Rs. 3,000 crore fund allotted to it after the 2018 floods, a senior Home Ministry official said on Thursday. The Kerala government had demanded an additional Rs.2,000 crore...
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The flawed spin to India's cotton story -Imran Siddiqi
-The Hindu The country’s hybrid seed model for cotton favours seed companies over farmers Genetically Modified (GM) pest resistant Bt cotton hybrids have captured the Indian market since their introduction in 2002. These now cover over 95% of the area under cotton, with the seeds produced entirely by the private sector. India’s cotton production in 2019 is projected as the highest ever: 354 lakh bales. Bt cotton’s role in increasing India’s cotton...
More »Shift health to concurrent list: Expert group to Finance Commission -Banjot Kaur
-Down to Earth Activists voice concern about some recommendations by panel The subject of ‘health’ must be transferred to the Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution from the State List, the high level group (HLG) formed for the health sector by the 15th Finance Commission has said. Since issues like medical education and family planning fall under the concurrent list, health also should, the panel said in a report submitted recently to...
More »Cut in reserve price of rice, wheat will hit FCI -Rajalakshmi Nirmal
-The Hindu Business Line Govt move to clear grain stocks with FCI; Corpn holding 2.6 times the buffer norm In an article dated January 6, 2020 (MSP hike leaves FCI with mountain of grains), BusinessLine had indicated that FCI may have to sell a significant amount of its rice stock in the open market if it has to make room for fresh procurement of paddy and wheat. The time for this has...
More »Is MGNREGS the answer to the rural slowdown? -Sneha Alexander & Nikita Kwatra
-Livemint.com MGNREGS could alleviate rural distress but, in its current form, its overall impact on the rural economy is limited in scope With rural distress deepening across India and private consumption growing anaemically, calls for ramping up the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), are growing louder ahead of the upcoming budget. Proponents of MGNREGS believe that it may be the only ammunition in the government’s arsenal to fight rural...
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