-Down to Earth Jaitley continues with UPA schemes on agriculture, allocates more funds The maiden budget of finance minister Arun Jaitley is disappointing for farmers as it has nothing in its kitty to address the increasing farm stress and resolve the ongoing agrarian crisis in the country. The much-awaited budget of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) neither talks about assured farm income nor gives any remedy to reduce farm...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a Price Stabilisation Fund, steps to set up a national market for farm produce, irrigation schemes, new agricultural universities as well as initiatives to increase warehousing and rural internet connectivity. Jaitley said food price volatility was a big concern, and announced a Rs 500 crore fund for farm price stabilization. He said the government wanted agriculture to grow although weak rainfall was a concern. Please...

-The Business Standard Rs 4,900 crore has been provided in the Budget Estimates 2013-2014 for food subsidy Chennai: The National Food Security Bill has been generating much excitement across the country but not in Tamil Nadu, since the state has a more comprehensive model in the form of a Universal Public Distribution System (PDS). Irrespective of any government, coverage of the PDS has been universal. A state government official said at a time...

-The Indian Express Trendsetters & tweakers Act one Chhattisgarh already has a food security law in place. It became last December the first state to pass a food security bill, which covers several sections not under existing schemes. The Act makes food entitlement a right and depriving anyone of that an offence. If PDS grains, for instance, are being diverted, the officials involved will face penal provisions. The Act also seeks to empower women...

-The Economic Times New discoveries of natural resources in several African countries - including Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique - raise an important question: will these windfalls be a blessing that brings prosperity and hope, or a political and economic curse, as has been the case in so many countries? On average, resource-rich countries have done even more poorly than countries without resources. They have grown more slowly, and with greater inequality...