Odisha Bhasakar Prajatantra Pragativadi

“The government plans to bring a new policy to promote use of biofuels in transport fuel that will catalyse Rs. 1 lakh crore of investment in the entire value chain, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today. “Promoting biofuels creates jobs, fosters economic growth, supports farmers and helps improve energy security for the country,” he said. He said that besides bringing down pollution, biofuels produced indigenously from agricultural waste, plants like bamboo, non-edible oilseeds, or municipal waste will help reduce the country’s huge import burden.”

The Times of India

Tto protest against the state government’s “inaction in curbing the agrarian crisis in the state”, a steering committee of farmers will launch a state-wide agitation from Monday. The committee, which had been set up in June to negotiate with the government on the loan waiver issue, has said that one of the main demands is a blanket loan waiver for all debt-stricken farmers across the state — a demand that the government has not yet accepted.

The Times of India

The Karnataka government directive asking farmers to either take up cultivation or give their fallow land on contract has raised the hackles of farmers, with many saying it will only compound their problems in times of drought. “How can anyone take up cultivation if there is no water or money to invest? This is ridiculous at a time when the state is staring at third consecutive drought,” said Kurubur Shanthakumar, president, Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association.

Nitidina

Training cum awareness programme for farmers organized under National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology in Baranga block. District Director said with the farmers of the village urged to adopt scientific based technology in their field and aware the farmers regarding the importance of soil health card and soil samples before sowing the crop which is the need of the hour keeping in view the production and the productivity.

New Kerala

Due to capping of premium under erstwhile schemes, the sum insured was consequentially reduced, as a result of which the farmers were denied the expected benefits and complete compensation for their crop loss. However, under PMFBY, in order to provide maximum risk coverage to farmers, sum insured has been equated to Scale of Finance (SOF). As a result the farmers now get timely settlement of claims for entire sum insured, without any deduction and are being compensated for entire crop loss.

The New Indian Express

IN a bid to boost coconut farming, the Agriculture Department will soon launch the ‘Kera Gramam’ project in the state. The project will be implemented on cluster-level basis and a total of 44 ‘Kera Gramams’ each having 250 hectares of coconut farming will be formed this year. The project envisages to provide financial assistance of `25,000 per/ha for farmers to make basins around coconut trees, adopt weed control measures, prepare organic manuring, dehusking, plant protec-tion and replacing aged unproductive trees with new ones.

Aapla Mahanagar

The state government had taken strange steps to resolve the farmers’ problems and as a result the farmers’ movement. The government also kept the Centre in the dark about the ground reality of the farmers’ situation. The loan on agriculture has increased several folds. The crop insurance had added one more burden on farmers, as the actual profit was received by the companies and not them. From the total amount only 23.17 per cent had been distributed