-Business Standard Weather forecaster Skymet says good winter rains are expected over most parts of India in the next few days Sowing of wheat in the week ending January 15 was less than last year, because of less sowing area in the rainfed areas of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Low residual soil moisture and unusually warm weather in this season has impacted rabi sowing in these parts. However, with the weather turning cold in many...

-Business Standard Last week, a senior ministry official had said wheat production in India was likely to fall below 90 million tonnes for another year in a row in FY16 The warmish winter in the north is not yet seen as having an adverse impact on the final wheat harvest but the next few days would be important, said Union agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain. The Centre is monitoring the situation and is hopeful...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: Delhi High Court today dubbed the Kejriwal regime’s vehicle-rationing report as “vague” and asked it to submit on Friday a revised one having specific data on changes in pollution levels from January 1-7. Focussing on “insufficient” public transport and “inconvenience” caused to commuters, the court asked the government to consider winding up the odd-even scheme on Friday instead of carrying on for a fortnight. The 8am to 8pm rationing...

-PTI A parliamentary panel today expressed dissatisfaction over lack of grievance redressal mechanism in a number of states for MGNREGA and pitched for strong monitoring for successful implementation of the flagship rural job scheme. The standing Committee on Rural Development, chaired by AIADMK MP P Venugopal, in its eighteenth report said, "Slow progress on appointment of ombudsmen speaks volumes about functioning of the department of rural development on the issue. The Committee,...

-The Indian Express When the UPA government passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, that laid down in clear terms that the age of consent for sex is 18 years, even then activists had warned against such misuse. THE Supreme Court refused to extend the detention of the juvenile convicted in the 2012 Delhi gangrape saying it has to go by the law as it stands today. Lawmakers...