What stops the government from using good harvests to reduce, if not eliminate, hunger? For ordinary folk, a 3 per cent increase in food grain production over that of last year, combined with strong procurement operations and good buffer stocks of rice and wheat would be a cause for some celebration. It would be seen as an opportunity to tackle the widespread food insecurity that exists in India today. Instead, we...
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Mind The Crease-Lola Nayar
Pawar’s Report Card The Negatives Per capita availability of cereals and pulses has fallen in last eight years No improvement in irrigation, 60% of agriculture still dependent on monsoons Farmers growing cereals, sugarcane, oilseeds and pulses assured higher MSP, but majority don't benefit Production up, but not productivity. Farmer suicides are on the rise. Poor market advisory on exports being misused to buy cheaply from farmers and make profits overseas Pawar...
More »Govt hurries to find funds for Mamata-Siddharth
Faced with stark hint from Trinamool boss Mamata Banerjee that she might act independently of UPA in the presidential poll if her demand for financial relief for West Bengal was not conceded in a "few days", the Centre has scrambled to find ways to organize assistance for debt-stricken state. Officials handling the task now say they can rush relief to Bengal without having to seek a clearance from the Finance Commission....
More »Action against violation of moratorium on debt relief
-The Hindu Moratorium to be in place till December 31, 2012 The government has decided to initiate legal action against cooperative banks and financial institutions violating the moratorium on debt relief for fish workers. Meeting Minister for Fisheries K. Babu announced this after a meeting with Minister for Cooperation C.N. Balakrishnan and chairman of the debt relief commission for fish workers M.R. Hariharan Nair here on Sunday. Mr. Babu said the moratorium would remain in...
More »Pranab banks on indirect tax hike-Ashok Dasgupta
Token relief to individual taxpayers will cost the exchequer Rs. 4,500 crore In a “pragmatic and domestic growth-oriented” budgetary exercise aimed at shoring up investor confidence and investment, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday sought to tap indirect taxes, especially service tax, to rake in an additional Rs. 45,940 crore into his kitty. Presenting the budget for 2012-13 in Parliament, Mr. Mukherjee provided a token relief to individual taxpayers that will cost...
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