That Predictable Strong Arm

Competition is tough in the seed market, which may explain why marketing gimmicks are often used to woo farmers. It’s tougher still for the farmers to get compensation when the claims fail and they are saddled with a bad or damaged crop. Sometimes the state government steps in to offer compensation or the farmers turn to the consumer court for relief. Typically, of course, the lack of compensation leads farmers deeper into debt.

A 20-ft-wide nallah (drain) divides the villages of Shahberi in Noida Extension and Dundahera in Ghaziabad. But these two places in the same state are light years apart when it comes to land acquisition. Ghaziabad allowed the developers to negotiate directly with farmers to acquire land for the 360-acre Crossings Republik township. The lucky farmers who held out have benefited from the rise in prices, from Rs 4 lakh per bigha in 2006 to over Rs 30 lakh per bigha.

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

A delayed fight against killer malnutrition

A Four-Course Meal

* Annual health survey to check nutritional status
* Phased financial incentives for pregnant, young mothers
* Reward to health worker for better monitoring of mother/child
* Pilot scheme for empowering 16-18 age group girls

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Only a couple of years back, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called persist

A prized foreign investor who

A proactive minister puts Paryavaran Bhavan in focus. The development dauphins are aflutter.When did you last hear of an Indian cabinet minister being compared to Muhammad Ali? Well, that

When did you last hear of an Indian cabinet minister being compared to Muhammad Ali? Well, that