Business World

Implementation of reforms is crucial in making any plan effective and delivering the intent in all its aspects. Many outlooks published by agencies like United Nations and the United States Department of Agriculture had termed the main focus areas of Indian agrarian economy with two major issues, where raising required returns for farmers and reducing costs for buyers are addressed.

Deccan Herald

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday directed the Agriculture Ministry to provide soil health cards to farmers in their local dialect for better understanding and involve start-up entrepreneurs in this exercise. Reviewing the progress of the soil health card and crop insurance scheme – two flagship initiatives of the government, the prime minister was informed that over 90 lakh farmers had benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana that was launched in January last year. Officials said claims of over Rs 7,700 crore had already been paid during the Kharif and Rabi seasons last year.

Financial Chronicle

The government has capped imports of green gram and black matpe at 300,000 tonnes, the government said in a notification on Monday, as the prices of the pulses have plunged due to record production.

The Financial Express

The Prime Minister was informed that claims of over $7,700 crore have already been paid to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Financial Express

According to IMD, the other two regions of the state — north-interior and coastal Karnataka — have received ‘normal’ and ‘deficient’ rainfall so far in the season. “In the past few days, Karnataka has received widespread rainfall which is expected to help in sowing of short-duration kharif crops,” said Shobhana Pattanayak, secretary, department of agriculture and cooperation. In the last couple of years, Karnataka has been facing drought-like conditions in several districts.

Himvani

He gave an example of drinking water which could be purified by using several layers of clean cotton cloth which could prevent about 65% of water-borne diseases. Rest could be taken care of if we stop throwing industrial waste and effluent in water bodies. Students must question their teachers and seek reasons. Accepting thing as told is not scientific. He also quoted an example of death due to carbon-monoxide poisoning in newspapers. Proper reporting with reasons is not done. Several lives are lost due to repeated similar accidents such small science would bring big impact. The lecture was attended by about 400 college and school students.

The Hindu Business Line Business Standard The Financial Express

India is not keeping pace with its peers like China in adopting innovative farm technologies, especially biotechnology, a US embassy official said today, cautioning that the country’s agri import may rise if crop yields are not raised. The comments come against the backdrop of US biotech major Monsanto Indian arm’s legal battle with the government and domestic seed companies over the royalty issue and logjam over allowing genetically modified food crops such as mustard and brinjal for commercial cultivation.

Daily World Suryaa Green Ecosystem Business Standard Web India 123 India Andhra Vilas

GM crop which was developed by Indian scientists was not permitted in India but grew in neighbouring countries, he added. “India’s neighbours like Bangladesh are taking up this technology. Bt brinjal was developed by Indian scientists in Indian universities for Indian farmers but is being used by Bangladeshi farmers.

Deccan Chronicle

We have the example of the BT brinjal, not very distant in our memory. Notwithstanding all the fraudulent scientific data Mahyco, the Indian arm of the agribusiness giant Monsanto, provided, the Independent expert committee, constituted by the Hyderabad-based Centre For Sustainable Agriculture, comprising some eminent members, of which I had the privilege to be the chairman, said an unambiguous “NO” to Bt brinjal, because, like mustard, the Indian sub continent is the place of origin for brinjal.