Government pitches for farm mechanisation to boost farmers income

NEW DELHI: Aiming to double farmers' income in the next five years, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said farm mechanisation will bring down the cost of cultivation by up to 25 per cent and raise production by 20 per cent. 
He also said that raising support price of agri-crops will not suffice, as there is a need to bring down the cost of cultivation, for which, use of innovative farm machineries is the need of the hour. 

Modi government to launch 300 Namami Gange projects tomorrow

NEW DELHI: The government will launch more than 300 projects along the banks of Ganga, ranging from construction and modernisation of ghats to afforestation of river banks, on Thursday under the Namami Gange programme to clean and protect the 2,500 km long river. "Tomorrow will be a historic day...from Gangotri till the mouth of the river (Ganga Sagar), at the banks of the Ganga, banks of the Yamuna, the banks of Ram Ganga and Kali, 300 projects will start simultaneously," 

Uma Bharti today launched 43 projects

HARIDWAR: Holding that "wrong planning" led to the pollution in Ganga, Union minister Uma Bharti today launched 43 projects worth Rs 250 crore under Namami Gange programme in Uttarakhand, saying that the Modi government is taking corrective steps to cleanse the river. "The Ganga has not been polluted because of untreated water as much as because of wrong planning. Projects being launched under Namami Gange are corrective steps to atone for what has been done over the years to dirty  .. 

Government forms panel to study the feasibility of adopting new financial year

NEW DELHI: The government has constituted a committee to study the feasibility of adopting a new financial year. India currently follows the April-March financial year as opposed to the calendar year in most countries.The committee headed by former chief economic advisor Shankar Acharya has to submit its report by December 31, 2016. "The committee will examine the merits and demerits of various dates for the commencement of the financial year including the existing date .

India must focus on growth, not worry about inflation: Joseph E Stiglitz

BENGALURU: Nobel laureate and Professor of Economics at Columbia University Joseph E Stiglitz on Wednesday suggested that Indian policymakers would do well to pay attention to growing India's economy rather than "getting overly obsessed about inflation."
Stiglitz insisted that excessive focus on taming inflation would hurt growth, and lead to higher unemployment levels, and lead to more inequality. An author of several path breaking papers on inequality, Stiglitz was in Bengaluru .

NIA scans Zakir Naik’s speeches to evaluate if he can be prose

NEW DELHI: The agencies have begun examining the speeches and activities of Mumbai preacher revealed that two of the killers, Nibras Islam and Rohan Imtiaz, were inspired by him. Sources said NIA has asked its sleuths to gather material on Naik so that it can take a call on whether any action can be initiated against him. The agency is treading with caution, mindful of the popularity he enjoys among a section of Muslims.
"We have to scan his speeches to see if he has justified .

Perform or perish: 6 reshuffle points that prove Narendra Modi

PM Narendra Modi's message to his ministerial colleagues, both old and new, is loud and clear: Perform or perish. While picking new names and shuffling the old hands, Modi has tried to reboot ministries that were struggling to meet targets set by him. Here are key takeaways from the Cabinet reshuffle.

Water meter scam: ACB issues notice to Sheila Dikshit, asks her to join investigation

NEW DELHI: In a huge setback for the Congress, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Wednesday issued notice to former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, asking her to join the investigation into the water meter scam case.The notice states: "It appears that you (Sheila Dikshit) are acquainted with facts and circumstances of case and is required to join investigation." "We are probing the matter. The concerned officers have been issued notice and Sheila Dikshit ji has also been issu ..

Ravi Shankar Prasad takes charge as Law Minister

NEW DELHI: The newly appointed Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took charge of the ministry on Wednesday. Prasad succeeds D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who was moved to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in the reshuffle and expansion of the Union Cabinet on Tuesday.

Coastal shipping of commodities to save Rs 40,000 crore/year: Government

NEW DELHI: Promoting coastal shipping of just six commodities, including coal, cement and steel, could result in a huge Rs 40,000 crore annual saving, according to government estimates. saving Of the total, coastal shipping of thermal coal alone could result in savings of about Rs 20,000 crore while promoting steel and cement would save an annual Rs 5,500 crore and Rs 4,000 crore, an official said.

India needs $1.5 trillion for infrastructure: Arun Jaitley

BEIJING: India needs over $1.5 trillion in investment in the next 10 years to bridge infrastructure gap as the government intends to connect seven hundred thousand villages with roads by 2019 as part of a