-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government's ambitious crop insurance scheme has proved to be a jackpot for insurance companies last year, which collectively earned 85 per cent profit (after excluding administrative and reinsurance expenses) during the 2017-18 kharif season. Kharif is an Indian cropping season which extends from July to October. 17 insurance firms (5 public and 12 PRIvate) empanelled under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) registered a...

-The Indian Express Released annually since 2016, the index examines governance performance in the states through a data-based framework, ranking them on social and economic development they are able to provide. Bengaluru: Pinarayi Vijayan’s ruled Kerala stands as the best-governed state in the country followed by Tamil Nadu, according to the Public Affairs Index 2018 released by the think tank Public Affairs Centre (PAC). While Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat are ranked third,...

-The Hindu All India Kisan Sabha to take out march to Parliament in November Tamil Nadu: The All India Kisan Sabha, along with over 190 farmers organisations from across the country, would take out a three-day ‘Kisan Mukthi Long March’ to Parliament in November seeking radical changes in the agrarian policy in order to prevent farmers’ suicides under a neo-liberalisation regime, said its national president Ashok Dhawale. He is here in connection with...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission has rapped the Uttar Pradesh government over the strip search of 70 girls at a government residential school in Muzaffarnagar last year. It has issued a notice to the chief secretary asking him to explain why a compensation of Rs 25,000 should not be awarded to each of the girls, and directing him to arrange for their counselling. It has also summoned the PRIncipal...

-The Hans India Yalal: Tribal farmers of Sangaigutta thanda in Muddaipet panchayat are making a fortune by indulging in gherkins’ cultivation under contract farming system. The farmers are earning at least Rs 50,000 in two months after deducting all expenses. The factory which encouraged the tribals to undertake contract farming supplies seeds, pesticides and fertilizers and lifts the gherkins at the farm gate by paying good PRIce for the produce. It...