-Down to Earth   Dip in number of schools providing midday meals to their students "About 20 per cent schools in India still lack toilet facilities for girls," says a report recently released by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The report, titled Elementary Education in India, has also highlighted that enrolment of girls has come down to 48.20 per cent this year, as compared to last year's 48.36 per cent. The enrolment of...

-The Hindu Business Line   Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (The more things change the more they remain the same ): A French proverb. In its earnest to tackle rising food inflation the new Government has taken a welcome initiative to delist fruits/ vegetables including onions (FVO) from the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act, while all other measures are as usual - short term of political expediency, repeated several...

-The Hindu Business Line   Small farmers in Jharkhand are growing more money and seeing better health, thanks to vegetables Indian farmers have often been perceived as lacking in initiative, but the latest Developments on the farm front belie that stereotype. Not only have they shown initiative, they have started a quiet revolution. The phenomenon can be summed up in one word: vegetables. Small farmers, reeling from recurring droughts and declining productivity of staple...

-The Indian Express   The landmark Land Acquisition law made by the UPA government is being called for a review by the Centre.   With concerns that the UPA's land acquisition law may lead to procedural delay persisting, the NDA government has decided to formally "review" the implementation-related issues of the law in consultation with the state governments.   Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who holds addition charge of the Rural Development Ministry, has called a meeting...

-The Pioneer   Raipur: A significant initiative is being taken up at State Government and administrative levels to link the tribal ‘Pahadi Korwa' families,residing in remote pockets of Korba Development block, with farming activities. With the work being done by the Government for the Development of these tribal families, a new thought is emerging among the tribals who are keen to take up agricultural activities.According to official sources, there were a total of...