A group of ministers has approved a draft food bill, considered the successor to the blockbuster rural jobs scheme, after incorporating most suggestions made by a panel headed by Sonia Gandhi, a minister said today. The bill, which will give the poor the right to subsidised foodgrain entitlements, has accepted “most” suggestions of the National Advisory Council (NAC) and deviations, if any, are “minor”, said K.V. Thomas, the minister of state...

The land problem in Singur was a turning point in the political fortunes of both the Left Front and the Trinamul Congress. The story is far from complete, and the legal twists and turns between Mamata Banerjee and the house of Tata could unfold in surprising ways. The issue of adequate compensation for farmers, who had to part with their land, is still an open question to which many well...

-The Business Standard   Increasing newsprint prices are likely to have a negative impact on profitability of the Indian print media industry in the short to medium term, according to a Fitch report. The report expects that an increase in advertising revenues may partly offset the rising cost of newsprint. Newspaper publishers generate about 70 percent of revenues from advertising, with the remainder coming predominantly from circulations. However, the agency's expectation of...

Although a normal monsoon has been forecast for South Asia this year, and rains have begun normally in many parts of the region, people are still anxious about the rainy season that lasts for four months. Their anxiety has to do with the uncertainties surrounding the timing of the monsoon in recent years. While the debate continues over the role of climate change, scientists have also been looking at the possible role...

-The Business Standard   Maoists threat to the leaders of United Action Committee, a pro Posco outfit, and elected representatives of Nuagaon and Gadakujang panchayats for extending support to the Posco project has spread panic among the pro Posco activists and villagers. Maoists have sent their threat letter to UAC members, panchayat samiti member of Nuagaon and sarpanch of Gadakujang by post urging them to withdraw their support from the Posco steel...