Many A Slip To The Sip
• 30 Number of Indian cities where private sector and MNCs have been roped in by civic bodies to manage the water supply.

This could be the UPA’s worst cut to its beloved aam admi. Healthcare has virtually been handed over to privateers.

On the face of it, the Union petroleum ministry has finally taken some action in its slow-fuse battle with Reliance Industries over the D6 block in the Krishna-Godavari basin.

Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is trying to re-establish his ‘farmer-friendly’ politician image but it’s been hard going with the flip-flop on commodity exports and rising farmer suicides.

That Predictable Strong Arm

Competition is tough in the seed market, which may explain why marketing gimmicks are often used to woo farmers.

A 20-ft-wide nallah (drain) divides the villages of Shahberi in Noida Extension and Dundahera in Ghaziabad.

Irrigation is anything but accelerated under AIBPNo Water, No Cry

The scheme and the scam

Rs 45000 cr Allocated for 283 canal projects under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme since 1996-97

90% Projects delayed, leading to cost and time overruns
2-8 years Delay due to poor monitoring
28-916% Cost overrun due to delays

1250000 hectares Ultimate irrigation potential

A seasoned politician, equally at ease with economic and political matters of state, Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has sent out feelgood signals while charting an opaque course of action in a zero-sum budget. The politics is easily explained: four states are set to go to polls within three months.

What