The main challenges the new National Mineral Policy (NMP-2) seeks to address revolve around the following five broad themes: Increasing the economic contribution of the mining sector to Pakistan’s economy through more private investment; Being competitive for scarce and mobile international capital for investment in the mining sector through a

This paper examines the roles and challenges of small holding agriculture in India.

This publication summarizes the papers and presentations in Workshops on Economics of Infrastructure in a Globalized World, funded by the Asian Development Bank through a regional technical assistance project.

This document comprises a summary and analysis of a benchmark index and learning tool that assesses the capacity of countries in the Asia-Pacific region to carry out sustainable public-private infrastructure partnerships, as of June 2011. The methodology is based on a similar study of Latin America and the Caribbean published in 2009 and 2010.

FAO, in collaboration with forest management, climate change experts and relevant stakeholders, is developing guidelines to assist forest managers to effectively respond to climate change challenges and opportunities.

India’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) is a one of its kind country level initiative that aims to help achieve the intertwined national objectives of ensuring energy security for the country and bringing about sustainable and environmentally efficient growth through large scale deployment of on-and off-grid solar power applicati

The objective of this report is to identify ways in which governments and external support agencies (ESAs) can increase access to finance for small-scale WATSAN providers, by channelling public funding to support the market and leverage private sector financing.

Microsoft India has partnered with government in delivering many successful e-governance initiatives. It has played a key role in the areas of education through the Siksha initiative by enhancing IT skills of the teachers. Ranbir Singh, group director, public sector, Microsoft India, in an interview with Samir Sachdeva mentions the areas where Microsoft has partnered with various government agencies for the betterment of society.

Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt and others (“Land Acquisition and Dispossession: Private Coal Companies in Jharkhand”, EPW, 11 February 2012), touch on several important issues, but with a sophistication which is expected from academics. The piece, however, portrays only the tip of the iceberg; the grass-roots situation is much more serious and tense. Land acquisition by privately-owned coal
mining companies has assumed very sinister proportions. This letter is to bring some more examples to the attention of EPW readers. (Letters)

Today, people are protesting against illegal and unjust land grabbing across the country, and it is clear for all to see that the process of land acquisition is unjust and driven by private interests. At this time, the UPA government is introducing a Bill that will supposedly address these issues. The government claims that the main problem is ensuring ‘fair’ compensation for land losers, though, ironically, its Bill will not even achieve this. However, the problem is far deeper, and affects far more people than landowners alone. (Joint Statement)

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