-The Hindu When will the government operationalise the Lokpal law, even in its diluted form? In a hearing recently regarding non-operationalisation of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, more than three years after the law was enacted, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi reportedly argued in the Supreme Court that the court has no powers to direct the government on when and how the law should be enforced. Failure to implement the Lokpal law by the...

-Livemint.com Mint’s rural distress index is below its median value, but it conceals varying distress levels across states Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s announcement of farm loan waiver has given credence to similar demands from across the country. Those making these demands include Political Parties, protesting farmers and even the judiciary. An earlier Plainfacts column had pointed out how farm loan waivers can be counter-productive in the long run, a fact...

-The Indian Express UP’s farm loan waiver could prompt other states to follow suit, evade real reasons for agricultural distress The new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, has hit the ground running. In his first cabinet meeting, he took three important decisions with regard to farmers. First, he waived farm loans of more than Rs 36,000 crore, primarily of the small and marginal farmers who comprise 92 per cent of the...

-The Indian Express States with the largest non-vegetarian populations are mostly ruled by non-BJP parties; those with the largest numbers of vegetarians, mostly by the BJP Eight of India’s top 10 major states ranked by their preference for vegetarianism are now BJP-ruled. And 8 of the top 10 major states ranked by their preference for non-vegetarian food are ruled by non-BJP parties, according to data from the Census of India’s Sample Registration...

-The Hindu Two separate decisions on farm loan waivers could have a domino effect Chairing his first cabinet meeting after taking over the reins in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved a write-off on outstanding farmer loans of up to Rs. 1 lakh taken before March 31, 2016. The State cabinet also decided to waive loans worth Rs. 6,000 crore extended to small and marginal farmers that had turned into non-performing...