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Once the then Principal Economic Adviser in Finance Ministry Dipak Dasgupta was asked what is the problem of Indian agriculture? He said in one word that Indian agriculture has to become “smart”. Seventy years after independence, Indian agriculture has not taken off to the desired level despite over all development of Indian Economy. It is not that Indian agriculture has been ignored. A lot has been done but the cutting edge development has not happened. The reason has been that a holistic approach has not been taken so far for the development of agriculture. The holding is getting fragmented, Technology has been inadequately utilised still 60 per cent of the population dependent on agriculture is accounting for less than 15 per cent of GDP. Average farm productivity is one of the lowest in the World in most of the crops though India's yield of various farm products in pockets matched the best in the World. This is a dichotomy.

The four nation tour of Africa by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya) was not merely for an instant gratification for Gujarati Diaspora. Indeed, he was the first Indian Prime Minister to pin hope on Africa for new dimension in India’s economic and political outreach in the world, which was hitherto neglected by his predecessors. Taking a piece of lesson from the reformist and former Prime Minister Narashima Rao’s innovative bent towards East Asia as the wing for India’s global growth, Mr Modi is assertive to make a strong tie with Africa and hope for similar windfall.

The Central Government in the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to continue with the scheme of Modernisation of State Police Force in view of outcry from the States, with renewed vigour and higher allocations.

First Uttarakhand and now Arunachal Pradesh. The Supreme Court has foiled the NDA Government’s blatant attempt to subvert the Constitution and topple governments of other parties by suborning their legislators. Money played a big role both at Itanagar and Dehra Dun.

Kashmir is burning once again. The immediate provocation came after the Indian security forces shot dead Hizbul Mujahideen's 21-year-old poster boy Burhan Muzzafar Wani, along with two of his accomplices in Kokernag area on Friday. The incident has provoked mass mourning across the valley even as each new death is only fuelling further anger. Protesters, mostly young men, (more than 30) are reported dead and 1,400 injured. Whether the police intended to kill him or not, the damage has been done, and the valley is simmering.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is in the news once again, not for the right reasons, though. The State is hogging the headlines these days over the mysterious disappearance of 19 youths, including two pregnant women, mostly from Northern districts.

What was expected is happening. The latest developments leave no doubt that it is the RSS, claiming to be a non-political cultural and social organization that is subtly ruling India. Available indications are that decision-taking which is the prerogative of an elected government has passed into the hands of the Nagpur-based coterie with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi working as its front man.

KOLKATA: West Bengal remains the most vulnerable Indian State when it comes to checking illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, far more so than Assam or other Northeastern States. The present situation is the outcome of efforts of a powerful pro-immigration lobby that has been active within most political parties, including the Congress, the CPI(M), the Forward Bloc and the Trinamool Congress(TMC).

Recent events have underlined Narendra Modi’s emergence in his true, ruthless colours. He had kept this side of his persona under wraps probably because he was taking his time to get used to the ways of Lutyens Delhi. As a newcomer to the national capital, he evidently did not want to rock the boat too hard right from the start. But two years have been sufficient time for him to begin cracking the whip.

Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley has hit upon a great idea of garnering resources, primarily to help the corporate sector revive stalled investments, by cutting down the already lowered deposit rates in banks. Logically, he would seek a policy lending rate (repo) cut by RBI, which is due to present its next monetary policy review, likely to be the last one through Governor Raghuram Rajan, on August 9. Overall, Mr Jaitley follows a flawed approach in resource mobilisation in general.