In Focus
The Punjab government has ordered a probe into a series of suicides by small and marginal farmers and landless workers in Sangrur district of the state. This decision was taken by Punjab chief
The Punjab government has ordered a probe into a series of suicides by small and marginal farmers and landless workers in Sangrur district of the state. This decision was taken by Punjab chief
The minister for agriculture, Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy, said an Agriculture Regulatory Commission would be appointed to decide payment of bonus for various crops in the state. Speaking to newsmen here on Thursday, he said that the state government has decided to pay minimum support price and bonus for various crops. Mr Raghuveera Reddy said the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, and he had studied various benefits being provided to farmers in China, Israel, America and other countries. The minister said the government has decided to directly pay bonus to farmers. He said subsidy and bonus would be directly credited to the bank accounts of farmers as was being done in other countries. The minister said the government would initiate a discussion on establishment of regulatory commission in Legislative Assembly and Council. After taking into consideration suggestions given by farmers unions, Opposition parties and experts, the government would take steps to help farmers, the minister added. He said a study was also being conducted to help tenant farmers, who were facing problems. The minister said for the first time in the country loans were being directly given to tenant farmers in the state. So far, loans were given to 75,000 tenant farmers in the state, he added. Mr Raghuveera Reddy said there were more tenant farmers in Prakasam district. He said 50,000 ideal farmers would be selected and 4,500 rythu sanghams would be formed in the state. The minister said specific plans would be formulated to strengthen agriculture from village-level. Mr Raghuveera Reddy said it was shameful for Telugu Desam (TD) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu to announce that he had a great plan to help farmers. The minister said that state farmers were unhappy with the statement of Mr Naidu, who during his nine-year-old rule had detested farmers. Mr Raghuveera Reddy said the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leaders had resigned from their posts due to fear that they would lose their existence in Telangana. He said the Congress was ready to face by-elections in the seats vacated by the TRS leaders and the party would abide by the decision of the people.
THERE can be no sharper indictment of the government's attempts to protect the environment than this: After 20 years of spending money and effort, Project Tiger is in shambles. Experts say the fate
The government is preparing legislation to regulate the use of tubewells because water tables in the country are falling rapidly. But the proposal could run into opposition from rich farmers.
The National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) is the premier institution in India to provide Medium Range Weather Forecasts through deterministic methods and to render Agro Advisory Services (AAS) to the farmers. The centre offers challenging research opportunities in Numerical Weather Prediction, Diagnostic studies, Crop Weather Modeling and Computer Science.
<p>As eight states have said no to Union government's plan to approve Bt Brinjal, this timely booklet by Greenpeace details its impacts on environment & health and opposes the commercial release of this GM Crop.</p> <p><strong>Related</strong></p>
Rising petroleum prices would affect Pakistan's agriculture sector as farmers depend on fuel to operate their tube-wells to get irrigation water the prime requirement for the growth of crops. 'Due to inadequate canal system, farmers are dependent on electric and diesel run tube-wells for irrigation but price escalation of oil would have negative impact on their production,' the Secretary General, Kisan Bachao Tehreek, Ahmed Noor Advocate told APP.
This report presents an overview of recent developments in the consumption and production of bioenergy. Examines main issues, the possible economic implications of these developments and assesses their potential impact on land use and environment, especially with respect to forests.
RICH DIVIDENDS FOR OMCs, NO REAL BENEFIT FOR CONSUMERS & FARMERS ONE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION TO ASK over ethanol pricing even as a panel chaired by Planning Commission member Saumitra Chaudhuri examines a
RAIPUR, 7 MARCH: Blame it on a flawed policy, India is set to shed about 40,000 acres of its prime double-crop agriculture land to dozens of upcoming power projects in a district that is billed having the country
Food A Bigger Culprit In India Than In The West, Says Study Madhavi Rajadhyaksha | TNN If you've been blaming your allergic cough, running nose and itchy skin on flowering trees or neighbourhood pets, it's time to do a rethink. Insects, particularly mosquitoes, cockroaches and dust mites, are to blame for nearly 50% of the allergies in India. And food
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday tried to strike a balance between the apprehended side-effects of genetically modified seeds and foodgrains and the highincidence of hunger and poverty in India.
MUMBAI: The seven-year-old hippopotamus that died at the Byculla zoo last week may have consumed heavy metals either through water or fodder over a long period of time. Following this alarming finding, doctors at the Bombay Veterinary College (BVC) on Tuesday swung into action to conduct separate pathological tests of samples (water and fodder) collected from the animal's enclosure.
Jairam Ramesh, the Union minister for environment and forests, has agreed to put Bt brinjal on hold. I believe this is the right and only decision that he could have taken.
BT, or soil bacteria bacillus thuringiensis, may have been involved in controversy of late over its use in the genetic modification of brinjal, but the bacteria-produced toxin could help battle roundworm infection worldwide, an article published recently in Nature magazine says.
Given the way world prices for food, energy and other industrial goods are moving, the potential implications on the price situation at home is of great import and cause for concern, says Saumitra Chaudhuri THISis a strange year, most likely it will get stranger. There are so many conflicting signals as to where the world economy is headed that market movements are seized of great volatility. Eminent voices see a major US recession down the road; some among them are yet willing to see an "if' about it. Other street signs
While the inflationary pressure has gone out of control from the government, commodity prices have been steadily increasing. During the week, price of fish jumped by 6%, fruits and vegetables by 3% and moong dal and spices by 2% and 1% respectively. Despite export bans, skimmed milk was costlier by 7% and imported edible oil by 1%. Furnace oil was costlier by 3% and light diesel oil by 2%.
INFLATION IMPACT Inflation is expected to come down to 5.5 per cent in financial year 2008-09 and kharif crop is likely to play a major role in this regard, says the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). "We retain our forecast of 5.5 per cent inflation for the year FY'09. We expect inflation to increase further in the next couple of months and start receding from September onwards," CMIE said in its monthly review. Inflation, measured in the wholesale price index (WPI), increased to 11.05 per cent for the week ended June 7.
Bio-diesel is an environment friendly fuel, with far less emissions than mineral diesel fuel, and is the perfect solution for the food and fuel crisis, according to NED University of Engineering and Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering Co-Chairman Associate Prof. Dr Mohammed Harun. "The fuel can be obtained by chemically converting non-edible oil from plants that can thrive on marginal land and can be cultivated with saline and waste water. Farmers should be given incentives to grow these non-edible crops, as fuel prices are consistently rising,' said Prof. Harun.