-The Indian Express Minimum temperatures are likely to come down by 2-3 degrees Celsius in Northwest, Central and Western India over the next 48 hours, the IMD said. The current spell of rain in North and Central India will be beneficial to the standing rabi crop, especially wheat, though there are concerns over chana (chickpea) and masur (lentil) that are in the maturity or harvesting stages. “This rain is very good for wheat...

-The Indian Express While Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara seeks to recover from the recent disastrous bypoll where the BJP lost two Lok Sabha seats and an assembly seat to the Congress, MP’s three-time CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan aims to mitigate three-time anti-incumbency. From crop loan and land revenue waivers to bonus payments and free crop storage, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh announced a slew of sops Monday targeting farmers and rural voters...

-The Hindu The answer lies in the fragile state of the Centre’s finances, and its control over interest, pension and subsidy expenses To any layman watching India’s annual Budget JAMboree, the entire exercise must seem very puzzling. After the Finance Minister has read out a long list of giveaways to farmers, small businesses, low-income earners and senior citizens in his speech, none of the beneficiaries seems entirely happy with their gifts. Commentators, after...

-The Pioneer DALTONGANJ (Ranchi): Can name of registered MGNREGA labourer be deleted without his/her consent? MGNREG Act says no. However the scene is frequent at Manika and Barwadeeh blocks in Latehar district. Information suggests that as many as 152 deletions have taken place in Manika while 130 deletion in barwadeeh block which has caused non-payment of wages of these and several other MGNREGA labourers. These labouers claimed to have worked for six months...

-The Times of India BHOPAL (M.P.): Without an Aadhaar registration, new-borns in Bhopal's Sultania hospital are being refused discharge. In no uncertain terms, a dictate by hospital administration, instructs hospital staff, ward in-charge and security guards, not to allow new-borns to leave hospital premises unless registration unique ID is produced. The need for 12-digit unique Aadhaar number for babies born is pasted across the largest maternity hospital in Madhya Pradesh. "These instructions...