Live Mint

As farmers in the state of Tamil Nadu stare at their withered crops, the benefits announced by the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday haven’t offered much solace. Earlier this week, Tamil Nadu chief minister O. Panneerselvam declared all the 32 districts of the state as drought-hit and said the Centre’s aid would be sought in tackling the crisis.

The Hindu

There is increased resentment and discontent among delta farmers over the quantum of relief and ‘over dependency on crop insurance.’ Some organisations are planning to organise agitation to exert pressure on the State Government to increase the quantum of relief.

The Times of India

Air pollution is “slow death” high court said on Thursday, asking Punjab to put in place plans to prevent paddy crop burning by farmers this year. “We are of the view that the air quality of Delhi and surrounding areas is deteriorating each day and has attained alarming proportions. The action plan of Punjab should be substituted by a new one to ensure there is no paddy burning in 2017 itself,” a bench of Justices B D Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar directed.

News 18

Air quality of Delhi and nearby states is deteriorating day by day and has attained alarming proportions, the Delhi High Court on Thursday said while asking the Centre and the Punjab government to work out a plan to stop from this year paddy straw burning in the state, a major contributor to air pollution.

The Hindu

Harvest of ‘TRY (R) – 3’ variety at a research plot at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University – Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute at Navalur Kuttapattu near here, is expected to register a marginal fall in yield and also the harvest of the paddy variety is being delayed by a fortnight due to monsoon failure.

The Financial Express

Despite the nationwide rollout of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), the Centre’s food subsidy budget may not see a big spike in FY18; it could be around R1.45 lakh crore — roughly the same as the likely revised estimate for the current fiscal year.

The Hans India

Government’s policy decisions and ground reports are in conflict with official data on sowing, production and agriculture insurance. The Centre’s claim of 94 million metric tonnes (MT) (2015-16) of wheat production, good sowing acreage and success of agriculture insurance scheme is not in sync with reality as government’s own data do not match agriculture ministry’s claims.

Zee Biz

Referring to agriculture, the NITI Aayog’s document said that the raising productivity in agriculture is the immediate means to bring relief to vast number of poor. “Growth in these sectors would help create good jobs for workers with limited skills thereby allowing workers in agriculture and informal sector manufacturing and services to migrate to the formal sector.”

Live Mint

Global food prices fell for the fifth straight year in 2016, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Thursday. In 2016, FAO’s global food price index averaged 161.6 points, 1.5% below the 2015 level, and nearly 30% lower than the 229.9 points recorded in 2011.

The New Indian Express

Notwithstanding objection from BJP, the State Government will go ahead with distribution of RuPay debit cards to farmer members of primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) from February 1. The Government has set a target to distribute RuPay debit cards to 11.40 lakh farmers and install point of sale (POS) machines in all PACS of the State by March 31, 2017.

The Hindu

Tamil Nadu’s move to declare a drought, ironically on the eve of the harvest festival of Pongal, is an important step to address the agrarian distress that is sweeping the State following poor rainfall during the northeast monsoon. Even with relatively better governance structures, desperation among farmers has resulted in a spate of suicides, particularly in the Cauvery delta rice belt that has received little water from Karnataka in recent times.