Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Strong monsoon augurs well for farm sectoredit
The strong onset of the Southwest monsoon in the state has raised the prospects of higher farm output and economic growth this year as it is expected to aid farm output in the state — about 85 per cent of its total 25.84 lakh hectares (ha) cropped area is rain-fed.
HKRDB: Allocation sought for agricultureedit
To check suicides of farmers and to boost the agricultural sector in the region, members of the Hyderabad Karnataka Raitha Sangh has sought exclusive allocation for agriculture in the Hyderabad Karnataka Regional Development Board (HKRDB).
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami announces Rs 27.45-crore benefits for agriculture sectoredit
With a view to promote cultivation of millets and vegetables, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced benefits worth Rs 127.45 crore in the Assembly on Thursday. He informed that 500 solar-powered pumpsets, apart from an equal number announced in the kuruvai package, would be installed in non-Delta region. The government would spend a combined amount of Rs 50 crore for setting up 1,000 solar-powered pumpsets with a subsidy of 90 per cent.
Punjab to curb ‘stubble burning’ pollution with biofuel planedit
Blame for heavy atmospheric pollution during winter in north India in 2017 was laid at the doors of farmers in Punjab burning stubble. But the Punjab government hopes that the coming winters will be clear—not just in Punjab, but also in Delhi and across the Indo-Gangetic plains.
Indian cotton production likely to rise 8.1% to 373 lakh bales this yearedit
CITI has estimated the production of Indian cotton crop for the cotton season 2017-18 at 373 lakh bales (170 kg each) which is estimated to be 8.11% higher from the previous year because of the increase in area under cotton cultivation by almost 13% i.e. from 108.45 lakh hectares to 122.59 lakh hectares.
State’s agri loan waiver a complete failure, says Deshmukhedit
Former state minister Anil Deshmukh said that farmers were not getting any relief despite several assurances from the State Government. Farmers’ problems were getting bigger with non-availability of agriculture loans. Deshmukh recalled that when he was the minister, he had ordered to register an FIR against those banks rejecting agriculture loans to farmers
Talk on agriculture’s impact on climate to be held todayedit
A city-based trust, Dialogue Highway, will be organising its third national dialogue on ‘Himalayan Ecology’. A seminar on this would be held at a hotel in Sector 24 on Friday and Saturday. As many as 30 environmental and agricultural economists from across the country are all set to participate in dialogue. Devinder Sharma, managing trustee of Dialogue Highway, said the theme of the conference would be ‘Measuring the Economics of Food & Agriculture Ecosystems’.
Cabinet approves 3-year action plan for agricultural educationedit
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Three Year Action Plan (2017-2020) of the scheme for Agricultural Education Division and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes, with an outlay of Rs. 2,225.46 crore for strengthening and developing higher agricultural education in India.
Technology in Agriculture
Use of smart machinery to curb stubble burningedit
With a view to ensuring the dream of Mission Tandarust Punjab come true, the Cooperative Department would purchase 284 agriculture equipments to curb the practice of stubble burning in SBS Nagar district.These equipments would include happy seeders, rotavators, zero tillage drill and tractors which would help in curbing the practice of stubble burning, thus ensuring a pollution-free environment.