Agriculture
Basmati rice
This refers to the editorial `Save Basmati' (Business Line, August 28). Basmati rice is the pride of Indian farmers. There is a battle on to capture the benefits of basmati rice through patent rights by MNCs. Having failed to capture the patent rights fo r basmati rice, the MNCs have succeeded in getting a certificate from the United States Patent and Trade Mark Office (USPTO). The certificate, given to the Texas-based Rice Tech Inc which has evolved the rice lines BAS 867, RT 1117 and RT 1121, has an im plied patent right. It has been certified that ``the novel rice lines...produce rice grains having characteristic similar or superior to those of good quality Basmati rice''. By the issuance of such a certificate, the direct patent rights may not be avai lable to the American company, but the purpose for which the patent right was sought has been achieved.

States
Starvation in Orissa
It is a strange sight to see tonnes of foodgrains rotting in official godowns in Orissa and the people dying of hunger. In fact, politics and poor economic policies have played havoc with Orissa's economy. Identifying those below the poverty line is a to ugh task.

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