Full Coverage: Economy

29.03.2008 Professor John Anthony Allan from King’s College, London has been awarded the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize for his pioneering concepts of measuring, understanding and communicating water issues. ‘Virtual water’ import via food has had major impacts on global trade policy and research, especially in water-scarce regions.

28.03.2008 Despite being the locomotive of the global economy, the Asia-Pacific region still faces enormous challenges like food, energy and water security. UNESCAPÂ’s Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008 reveals that by making agriculture both economically and socially viable, the region can achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.

28.03.2008 Revitalisation of agriculture is crucial to eradicate poverty, says UNESCAPÂ’s Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008 released globally on March 27. The survey highlights key challenges arising from economic hardships and social inequality in the Asia-Pacific region and calls for concerted policy actions.

19.03.2008 PakistanÂ’s economic condition today can only be described as a mess after years of economic mismanagement. It will be a huge challenge for any new government to get rid of those advisors who have brought the situation to such a pass, says veteran Pakistani journalist and columnist M.B. Naqvi.

18.03.2008 Global Knowledge Partnership has announced the Youth Social Enterprise Initiative Fellowship Programme 2008. The programme is meant for emerging young social entrepreneurs in developing countries in Asia region and provides them with financial, knowledge, mentorship and network support.

17.03.2008 Not poverty but Taliban insurgency is the main reason for driving drug production in Afghanistan, says a UN report. The country produces 93% of the worldÂ’s opium, which is also the biggest source of income for the Talibans.

17.03.2008 Despite India's rapid strides on the economic front, the Arjun Sengupta Committee report reveals 85% of the country's unorganised workforce lives on Rs. 20 a day. Adverse working conditions and lack of basic services further add to their woes.

14.03.2008

11.03.2008 Bearing the brunt of decade-long violence, millions of poor in rural Nepal believe the elections in April will bring them lasting peace and prosperity. The recent peace accord between the government and the Madhesi community has come in wake of protests and strikes that almost crippled the economy.

10.03.2008 Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment invites participants to an intensive summer course on the policies, politics and practices of environmental management in India. Held from June 4 to August 2, 2008, the course will attempt to address the complexities underlying the environment-development debate.

08.03.2008 A new study by International Labour Organisation says that the number of employed women has grown by almost 200 million over the last decade reaching the figure of 1.2 billion. Decent and productive employment is crucial in the process of creating greater equality between men and women, says the report.

07.03.2008 E-Commerce Asia Summit 2008 is the most prominent forum in Asia attended by major international players and decision makers in e-commerce. Organised by Terrapin from April 9-11, 2008 in Singapore, the summit will be a comprehensive information, solution and networking event to bring fresh air into the Asian e-commerce marketplace.

07.03.2008 Indian IT company Infosys Technologies, in collaboration with an international development organisation, is improving the efficiency of the country's agro supply chain. The ICT-enabled application enables farmers to access technical information like data and images, access to region-specific weather updates and market information such as daily sales volumes and average prices.

04.03.2008 Experts are of the opinion that partial increase in expenditure in this yearÂ’s union budget on health and education is far short of expectations. If India has to achieve universal education and provide affordable health facilities to all its citizens, much more is needed to be done.

03.03.2008 There was a clear absence of vision in the union budget presented to Indian Parliament on February 29, says Wada Na Todo Abhiyan – a national campaign by civil society organisations. It says that the government has once again sidestepped the crucial issues of health and education.