Streamlining the PDS is a priority of the Arunachal Pradesh government and it has taken up with the Centre for early release of funds against bills for hill transport subsidy held back for more than five years, Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu said on Sunday. Unfurling the National Tricolour on the 64th Independence Day, Khandu said the state required Rs 200 crore a year as hill transport subsidy for reaching PDS...

Recently, Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai wrote to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, expressing concern at alleged atrocities committed on tribals. While top officials of the Forest Department have rejected the “allegations” as baseless and ill-informed, a recent case in the Barwani district justifies Mr. Pillai's concerns. When Valsingh Sastia, an Adivasi, decided to repair the roof of his house before the monsoon, he had little idea that it would land him...

The United Progressive Allianace (UPA) government at the Centre has asked the Union Agriculture Ministry to provide diesel subsidy to farmers along with the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Minister of State for Petroleum Jitin Prasada announcing the new method said, now the government wants to provide compensation to farmers on diesel along with the MSP. Mr Prasada asked his ministry to consider making a provision for the increased price of diesel, while...

With the continuous high prices of pulses a major worry, the Centre has reoriented its strategy from this kharif season, with farmers being given incentives to go for mechanisation through custom hiring of Tractors, ridge and furrow planters, and Rotavators (rotary tillers). Farmers are also being encouraged to take up inter-cropping, adoption of new technologies, integrated nutrient management, better seeds, and drip and sprinkler irrigation. Farmers in 60,000 identified villages in major...

A pilot survey will be launched next month to assess the number of the poor in the country on a new set of parameters ahead of the scheduled BPL census in April 2011. The government has decided to launch the pilot project in 260 villages across the country to test the parameters suggested by a former Planning Commission member amid a debate on the best way of doing such counts. The project,...