-Society for Social and Economic Research The economic reforms which were started in 1991 shifted the focus of fertilizer policies away from playing a leading role in building the fertilizer industry and ensuring the availability of fertilizers at affordable prices to farmers. Under the neo-liberal policy framework, reducing the fiscal burden of fertilizer subsidies and the foreign exchange burden of fertilizer-related imports became the overriding concerns of the state.  Interestingly, the post-liberalisation...

-The Indian Express “All ministries have been directed to reduce Wasteful Expenditure on travel, food and conferences by 20 percent. The CCIG has asked the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, to take necessary action in this regard,” a source told The Sunday Express. In an austerity move, the Union government has decided to reduce Wasteful Expenditure on items such as travel and food by 20 percent, it is learnt. A decision of...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: Eminent advocate K.T.S. Tulsi has decided to take the lead among Indians in penning a living will, but most lawyers feel that Friday's Supreme Court judgment legalising passive euthanasia is open to misuse in a country notorious for property disputes. "I haven't yet written my living will but shall definitely do so," Tulsi, a Rajya Sabha member, told The Telegraph on Saturday while welcoming the judgment. The court said...

-The Financial Express The NSSO 70th round survey estimates there are 156 million rural households in India, of which 57.8% are agricultural. Average monthly expenditure on crop production by cultivating agricultural households during July 2012-June 2013 was Rs 2,192. Of this, 24% is spent on fertiliser and manure. Using survey results, rough calculations suggest agricultural households’ spend on fertiliser/manure would be in the range of Rs 78,000-1,20,000 crore in next cropping...

-The Hindu Business Line The declining response ratios due to excess spraying of fertilisers, which leads to Wasteful Expenditure on fertiliser subsidy, only leads to loss of key national resources Hyderabad: India is on the verge of a looming soil crisis which can potentially impact its agriculture in the near future, says a report. A third of the total 350 million hectares has already turned problematic. Soil is turning either acidic, saline, sodic...