Headlines Digest

Vinay Ganti 418 Stories

Thursday April 17, 2008 , 2 min Read

Food Shortage Crisis: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said that the country has sufficient food to feed the people and that prices should reflect that soon. Sending conflicting signals, PM Singh may call a meeting with Chief Ministers on controlling prices. Shockingly, another article highlighted the extremely high amount of crops wasted annually — RS 55,600 Cr!
Education and Quotas: Fresh off the recent Supreme Court case, the IIT’s have agreed on a plan to accept the 27% quota over three years. With regard to IIT’s, 3 new institutions are slated to open up this year.
Civil Society, Peace and Rights: A roundtable has been called to increase democratic participation and wrest power away from the military actors in this area. In a related article, Muslims across India have held various forums for public discourse denouncing terrorism and voicing its incompatibility with Islam. In Mumbai, the High Court recognized the right for indigent and poor people to have legal counsel by dismissing the sentence against a man convicted for murder.
Environment: Environmental groups have begun pressuring the World Bank to delay implementation of a new coal power plant. Also, in Kashmir the Wildlife Trust of India has developed ways to minimize human encroachment on native bears and also encourage greater conservation by residents. Also, five Indian coastal cities have joined Greenpeace’s efforts to call atention to global warming and the climate crisis.
Health: Global perception of HIV/AIDS victims in the workplace appears to be improving. Along similar lines, the Government of India modified its drug policy focusing on prices and access.