-The Hindu The draft Forest Policy re-emphasises production forestry, raising many ecological and social concerns Government policy documents are statements of goals, PRIorities and strategies. If old strategies have failed or circumstances have changed, they should be revised. Given that our Forest Policy was last revised in 1988, changes are perhaps overdue. The new draft Forest Policy 2018, however, ignores the lessons from this period and returns to the state-managed forestry of...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Shantanu Lodh, a pioneer in performance arts, was in the PRIme of his career when he met with an accident two years ago which left him in a coma. When doctors couldn't get him out of it, and his friends failed to find someone to take care of him, they shifted him to Anandam rehabilitation centre in Alwar district of Rajasthan that provides 24x7 nursing...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: A finance company cannot forcibly take possession of a vehicle for non-payment of dues without sending a notice to the borrower, country's apex consumer commission has said.   The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCRDC) on Friday ordered a PRIvate finance company to pay Rs 80,000 to the borrower whose tractor was seized by the company in January, 2011 for alleged non-payment of dues. Directing Shriram Transport Finance...

-The Hindu The MSP alert will be published on social media handles of the Jai Kisan Andolan and associated organisations Two months after the Finance Minister’s Budget announcement of a minimum support PRIce (MSP) at least 50% above the cost of production, Farmers’ organisation Jai Kisan Andolan has launched a daily news alert, tracking the ground reality regarding MSP. The MSP alert will be published on social media handles of the Jai...

-The Indian Express NEW DELHI: The government’s ambitious minimum support PRIce (MSP) scheme to improve farmers’ income has hit a roadblock as Niti Aayog missed the deadline to suggest a viable procurement model. Finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced in his Budget speech the government would ensure agriculture produce is procured at the revised MSP, which will be 1.5 times the production cost. The Centre had entrusted the think tank with...