-The Hindu   It was in this city that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asked at her election campaign not long ago, "Who is a better administrator? Is it Gujarat's Modi or this Tamil Nadu lady?" While this question may be relevant now because of the changes that have since taken place, it is striking that on Thursday, a team of officials from Gujarat who visited the Amma canteen said their State was looking to...

-The Business Standard   The meeting has been called to discuss the preparedness of the states to handle less rainfall or drought like situations  Mumbai: The Ministry of Agriculture has called an urgent meeting of 18 states in the wake of delayed rains next week and prepare state specific contingency plan for crops. According to official sources, the meeting has been called to discuss the preparedness of the states to handle less rainfall or drought...

-Down to Earth   Ministry of panchayati raj plans to develop model panchayats in different states through integrated development President Pranab Mukherjee's address to parliamentarians on Monday and the brain-storming sessions carried out by the new prime minister, Narendra Modi, with officials of different ministries indicate changes in the way rural development schemes will be implemented in the country. Each department in the rural development ministry has organised workshops with states to evolve the...

-The Hindu   Woolly aphid cases were first reported in 2006 MARAYUR (IDUKKI DISTRICT, Kerala): The attack of woolly aphid, a pest that lives on plant fluids, has considerably affected the sugarcane cultivation here. The disease, locally known as White Aswini, can result in low jaggery production as it sucks the sweet cells of the sugarcane. A senior agriculture officer here told The Hindu that the disease was first noticed in 2006 and it spread...

-The Times of India   NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government officially acknowledged that it is gearing for its first big test with the Met downgrading its monsoon forecast from 95% to a likely 93% of the long period average rainfall. "The government is alert about the possibility of a subnormal monsoon this year and contingency plans are being prepared," President Pranab Mukherjee said in his address to Parliament on Monday. The official word...