-Down to Earth With hardly any rains in June, no sowing activity has taken place in many regions, making it impossible for farmers to insure crops Maharashtra government has refused to extend the time-limit for availing the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS), which is being implemented for the first time in 12 districts of the state this year, despite heavy demand from farmers. The time limit for the scheme, which covers...

-The Hindustan Times   Three NDA ministries are trying to pull the UPA's signature project, Aadhaar, in different directions, threatening to further slow down the plan to give all residents a unique identity number (UID). Sources told HT that three ministries - home, planning and information technology - were preparing to move the cabinet with their own plans for Aadhaar launched by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani. Aadhaar numbers have already been generated for 640...

-The Business Standard The confusion over Aadhaar's future has deepened and, to be resolved, will require ministerial intervention through the next week The turf battle over Aadhaar continues under the National Democratic Alliance government, too. Three ministries have prepared separate Cabinet notes, chartering contradictory courses for the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Consequently, the confusion over Aadhaar's future has deepened and, to be resolved, will require ministerial intervention through the next week. The...

-Down to Earth Rural women in Uttar Pradesh join hands to end gender bias in agriculture and claim joint ownership of land Breaking the stereotype of rural women, 39-year-old Suresho Saini proudly drives a tractor to plough 1.6 hectares (ha) of agricultural land in Rahimpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district. The plot belongs exclusively to her. "Women working in agricultural fields are a common sight in India; yet when we think...

-The Indian Express Kumbhar said Jadhav disposes of 10-15 cases per day while Kuvlekar disposed of 25-30 cases a day. Pune: The RTI movement in Pune has been dealt a blow by the inability of the Pune division of the State Information Commission (SIC) to clear pending cases. By the end of May, there were 7,045 second appeals to be disposed of by the Pune bench of the Commission that covers Pune,...