Defeat starvation
Sub Saharan Africa is on the brink of starvation. In spite of efforts made by the government and private organisations, the agricultural scene appears dismal
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The slide's roots
Tracing their origins to Lord Vishwakarma, the mythological source of all creative intellect, India's artisans evolved into a distinct social group with the emergence of settled agriculture and
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Fading prospects
With dangers of nuclear pollution looming large over the world, there is an imminent need for an open debate on pushing nuclear option as an alternative energy source
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Pie in the sky
A towering structure, proposed for generating eco friendly power in the Netherlands, has run into trouble with engineers and energy experts who have raised doubts about the feasibility of its construction and its efficiency
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Network
Made for each other Sun Microsystems Incorporated have developed new microprocessor chips compatible with their newly launched Java software. The chips bearing price tags that range
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Ours and theirs
An American company appropriates the name 'basmati' as its own, and the contentious issue of patents and protection comes to the fore once again
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Born free, but
doomed to extinction all over the world, large carnivores may yet be saved following urgent companies in Asian countries and eksewhere, against using their body parts for medication
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India
• India's first environmental management system certification BS 7750, equivalent to ISO 14001, the interna- tional environmental standard, was receutly awarded to the Orissa-based Nicco
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Another, after Arun
The government of Nepal has again plunged into a major hydropower project after the Arun fiasco
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Shades of green
During the Auto Expo 2000, most carmakers were seen going ahead with diesel models. But the makers of two stroke two wheelers decided to announce an emissions warranty on their products. A small step forward
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Rapped for inaction
SC takes governments to task over tardiness in executing food based employment schemes following starvation deaths in Rajasthan
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Taking science to the market
ALL THROUGH the second half of the 20th century, whenever Western governments have seen their industries lagging behind globally, they have resorted to updating their technology policies. The result
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That sickly look
The Indian perspective on women and health could do with a healthy overhaul
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Proposed Japanese "colony" encounters protests
A proposal for a township near Bangalore as a lure to bring in huge investments from Japan is encountering opposition from farm and environmental groups.
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Tribals oppose uranium mining
Villagers, students, welfare organisations and opposition parties have come together and formed a council to protest the proposed mining and processing of uranium in Meghalaya
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A concession called SEZ, all for foreign exchange
Special Economic Zones barter away democracy
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Farm loan waiver tops Budget agenda
Sonia Nudges Manmohan On Package For Farmers, Women And Tax Breaks Setting the agenda for the government, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has asked it to focus on farm loans, women-related schemes and income tax slabs in the Budget. During three rounds of deliberations with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spread over the last week, the UPA chief, sources disclosed, sought to nudge her visitor on what she thinks should be the defining themes of the Budget in an election year. Sonia was keen on a package for farmers and there were already signs to suggest that the PM may have already heeded the advice. Addressing a group of farmers from Punjab asking for debt relief for small and marginal land owners, Singh said, "I would like to assure you that under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, our government will pay attention to the demands listed in the memorandum submitted.' The Congress chief also made no bones of the fact that the package figures on the top of the "to do' list she has framed for the government. "We know farmers are facing difficult times. I hope, I know Manmohan Singh's government will give due attention to your demands,' Sonia said. Sources rated the chances of a waiver, at least on the interest component, for defaulters among small and marginal farmers as a certainty. As reported by TOI on December 31, the package could cover bad and doubtful loans worth at least Rs 30,000 crore. While the PM refused to get into details citing Budget confidentiality, the government's receptivity to suggestions from political leadership should be happy augury for those expecting a relook at income tax slabs. While the government was expected to push up the exemption limit to Rs 1.25 lakh from Rs 1.1 lakh at present, an upward revision in the tax slab was not being hotly pursued by the finance ministry. An increase in the basic slab of 10% from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh would cost the exchequer around Rs 5,000 crore and the tax department brass was not keen on foregoing easy money coming its way. Given the enhanced stakes for the party in wooing urban India, the party leadership is hoping that Sonia's prod might cause them to pull out their calculators once again. Delimitation has increased the number of urban constituencies where tax payers constitute a significant slice of the electorate while Delhi, which boasts of the largest number of salaried tax payers in the country, is scheduled to go to polls later this year. The party expects tax concession to help blunt BJP's attempt to reclaim its constituency among the urban middle class. Apart from the plight of farmers, Sonia has also asked the government to focus on schemes aimed at empowering women. She had made this priority plain while on a visit to her constituency last week, and the preference for "gender justice' was repeated during the interactions with Singh. Sources said that among other things, the Integrated Child Development Scheme was likely to be strengthened. sidhartha.kumar@timesgroup.com diwakar.asthana@timesgroup.com POPULAR TOUCH: Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi with a delegation of farmers from Punjab, in New Delhi on Monday
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Copenhagen: excluding people and voices for an unfair deal
<p>The Copenhagen conference will definitely go down as the worst meeting in global climate negotiations. There is a complete mess here: lines of people standing outside the Bella Centre, where the conference is taking place, wanting to get in. Inside the meeting has broken down for the umpteenth time because industrialized countries refuse to commit to cutting emissions.
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Clueless in drought
Everybody loves a good drought. Few understand it. Especially the Indian media
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How to avert disasters
Orissa cyclone death toll was higher due to the destruction of mangrove forests