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The national agenda for securing the means of existence and livelihood for the lowest of the low is yet an unfinished agenda. A large number of our fraternity is still suffering under precarious conditions and leading a totally insucure life without even food security. And, our political establishments, are fighting not for these ‘Have nots’ but for ‘Haves’.

KOLKATA: Yet another problem in the Northeast awaits the Centre. It will have to take this up after the end of the monsoon session of Parliament: the demand for a Kuki State. The demand for creating ever-new states continues to be made – Telengana today, Gorkhaland tomorrow, Vidarbha another day. The latest in this line is the demand for carving out a Kuki State in Manipur.

After Wal-Mart’s admission that it spent money on lobbyists to enter the estimated half-a-trillion-dollar-plus Indian retail market, the questions deeply troubling the minds of the common man in India are: how much of it has percolated into the pockets of Indian politicians; who are the local bribe-handlers who are the receivers and was it used to rig the voting in Parliament against FDI in retail?

New Delhi: Jute is one of the oldest sectors in India’s agricultural and industrial economy. India is the largest producer of raw jute and jute goods. Export performance of jute sector crossed US$ 383 million during 2011-12. This year’s target has been set at US$ 500 million. The exports included diversified products like jute floor coverings, wall hangings, decorative fabrics.

The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) Shri Ajay Maken announced on here today that enacting effective central legislation for street vendors of the country for protecting livelihood was one of UPA government’s top priorities and the government would ensure that the law gets enacted at the earliest. He said, “Reign of fear and terror of municipal bodies and police against street vendors must stop and right to secured and dignified livelihood must be ensured through effective legislation”.

Asia suffered a marked slowdown in 2012 amidst continuing global economic uncertainties and their spillovers in trade and finance, but a modest growth upturn is projected for the region, led by China and India, in 2013. Its resilience notwithstanding, developing Asia’s growth had sharply declined to 6 per cent in 2012 from 7.2 per cent in 2011, according to revised down estimates by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Growth in 2013 is expected at 6.6 per cent.

Political parties across the spectrum have begun moves to position themselves to face the next general elections. For the umpteenth time, the Congress has announced that Rahul Gandhi will play a more important role in the Congress, but for the first time it has clarified that the crown prince will lead the party in 2014 elections, while his mother and the Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be the patron and supreme leader of the party.