-The Times of India The Manmohan Singh government's mission in a pre-election year seems cut out: To check and roll back retail food inflation that rose from 4% in January last year to 13% in December, a trend that could blight its 2014 poll ratings. With food prices accounting for half of overall inflation, this group stayed above 10% most of last year, higher than the overall consumer price index figure of...

-Outlook About 30 per cent of people in India were below the poverty line in 2009-10 that was based on the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) of Rs 673 for rural areas and Rs 860 for urban areas, Parliament was informed today. "As per the latest available information, the poverty line at all India level for 2009-10 is estimated as MPCE of Rs 673 for rural areas and Rs 860 for...

-The Hindu Justice Prabha Sridevan’s judgment permitting the production and sale of a generic version of a cancer drug is a victory for patients. It posits the public interest, especially in matters of health care, right at the heart of intellectual property rights in India Monday was a remarkable day for cancer patients in India. To them, the country said — “we care.” I am talking about the astounding decision by Justice...

-Live Mint The top 15 fastest growing states with a net state domestic product at constant (2004-05) prices for fiscal 2011-12 Should the country emulate the Nitish Kumar model of development? Or a Shivraj Singh Chauhan or a Oommen Chandy model? Going by the growth in per capita income, why not have a Maharashtra or Prithiviraj Chavan growth model? The chart shows the growth in per capita net state domestic product at...

-Live Mint Govt reiterates it will crack down hard on tax evaders, defends steps introduced in Finance Bill to check evasion The government on Tuesday reiterated its intention to crack down hard on tax evaders and defended some of the stringent provisions introduced in the Finance Bill last week to check evasion, including granting wider powers of arrest to taxmen and making certain offences non-bailable. Finance minister P. Chidambaram, in his budget speech...