Financial Express

While the government has reason to be pleased about the fact that the claims paid to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) have risen by around 50%, to Rs 15,181 crore in Kharif 2017 as compared to Rs 10,425 crore in Kharif 2016, what is worrying is the dip in both the number of farmers as well as land area covered by the scheme. More so since, in this scheme, farmers pay just around a fifth of the insurance costs while the Centre and the state governments pay the rest in equal amounts. Since, during this period, the premium paid rose to Rs 19,258 crore in Kharif 2017 as compared to Rs 16,276 ...

The Economic Times

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Wednesday launched a Rs 1000 crore start-up scheme to encourage youth to join cooperative business ventures in agriculture and allied sectors.