With temperature likely to rise in the coming years because of climate change, essential food crops such as wheat are likely to witness a drastic fall in production, according to a report by the In

New independent evalution office begins study of this and rural job guarantee schemes

Tamil Nadu has the best record in completion of projects and Gujarat in reforming urban laws under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. This is the initial assessment of the new Independent Evaluation Office, under the Planning Commission. Bihar has been the worst performer on both.

At least 13 varieties are slated for GEAC nod after a long while but states have to also agree; biotech sector waits eagerly

Even as the government prepares to give a final nod to field trials for at least 13 crop varieties in the next meeting of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), on March 21, the road ahead for genetically modified (GM) varieties is still bumpy.

In 2009-10, number of days a household got employment in a month in rural areas of Rajasthan was about 38, which steadily dropped to 23 in 2012-13

Rajasthan and Karnataka, which used to be stand-out performers of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)'s flagship scheme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), of late, are showing signs of faltering in terms of execution, raising a question mark on the future of the programme. The scheme, launched in February 2006, was considered instrumental in returning the Congress to power in 2009.

This will further inflate the Centre's subsidy calculation on account of the new law, once it is implemented

The central government has decided to widen the acceptability of its biggest social security initiative, the National Food Security Act, by agreeing to equally share the financial burden of transportation of grain and commission for ration-shop owners with state governments.

Author's supporter plans to publish study in another journal

A year-after the prestigious ‘Food and Chemical Toxicology’ Journal published a study which concluded that biotech maize and herbicides can cause “severe adverse health effects including mammary tumours and kidney and liver damage, leading to premature death,” the journal has announced retracting the piece for want of sufficient data.

Less painful now, but future uncertain

The United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) ambitious National Food Security Bill might soon become reality. After getting approval from the Lok Sabha, the Bill is headed for the Upper House of Parliament for approval.

Peg decline at 7.8 percentage points between 2009-10 and 2011-12

The poverty rate has declined by 7.8 percentage points in two years, according to the latest estimates by the Planning Commission. If 29.8 per cent of the population was poor in 2009-10, the figure came down to 22 per cent in 2011-12. The estimates are based on the recently-released report by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) for 2011-12.

The state will launch food security on August 20, birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi celebrated as Sadbhawna Diwas

The Delhi government has become the first in India to announce it would launch the food security programme, as cleared by the Union Cabinet in the form of an ordinance last week.

With substantial opposition to short cuts in passage, regular Parliament discussion in coming session seems the route

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