-The Hindu Business Line NGO says antibiotic misuse has made these farms breeding grounds for superbugs New Delhi: New Delhi-based non-governmental organisation Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Tuesday accused the domestic poultry industry of twisting facts from one of its earlier studies to show that chicken produced in the country was safe for consumption. Terming it a “complete misrepresentation”, CSE strongly objected to the way results of a 2014 study were...

-The Hindu Business Line New Delhi: The Agriculture Ministry has broadened the scope of the proposed Contract Farming Bill by bringing marketing and services into its ambit and cutting back on States’ role in regulating the sector, paying heed to a multitude of responses that the planned piece of legislation elicited. “On the basis of the great response it received from stakeholders, we have made many changes to the Bill. There is...

-The Hindu Rather than just increased budgetary outlays, farmers need plans that will rescue them from crop failure Similar to the last two Budgets, this year’s pro-agriculture intentions are palpable through increased outlays to the agricultural sector and initiation of various programmes. They seem impressive, but closer scrutiny shows that the measures may be of little help to stem the tide of agrarian distress. There are some real challenges confronting three...

-The Hindu KM Yadav of Kanpur emerges as a saviour for rural people GUNTUR (Vijayawada): An RTI activist from Uttar Pradesh, who runs his office from a tea stall in Kanpur, has emerged as an unlikely saviour for people tired of making rounds to government offices. Krishna Murari Yadav may not flex his muscles like Munna Bhai, but earned the title of K.M. Bhai from the residents of villages around Kanpur for addressing...

  Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) or cash transfer might appear attractive on papers, but in reality it is opposed by its beneficiaries when implemented. Something similar to this has happened in the Nagri block of Ranchi district, where cash is being transferred to the aadhaar seeded bank accounts of beneficiaries in lieu of providing subsidized foodgrains. Cash transfers in the public distribution system (PDS) have been in operation in the Nagri block...