Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Excess paddy kept for elephants in Chhattisgarh may not have the intended impactedit
Money Control – Online
Record procurement of paddy at support price in Chhattisgarh is now weighing heavy on the state government. Failing to ensure its proper usage, the state government is now feeding excess paddy to wild elephants. Around 500 wild elephants are estimated to be in the state. Since the last three years, human-elephant conflict has emerged as a serious concern in the state. State government considers feeding paddy to elephant as a solution to this conflict as elephants will not venture into villages in search for food. However, recent incidents indicate that this might backfire and cause adverse effects instead of solving the human-animal conflict.
They have not returned: How Covid-19 has impacted labour migration in the countryedit
The Economic Times – Online
The migrant workers’ long walk — from the cities they helped build to their homes in faraway villages — defined the first nationwide Covid lockdown in India. Three crop cycles, half a dozen festivals and two Covid-19 waves later, several lakhs of these workers have still not returned. The pandemic has had a profound impact on labour migration patterns — and this could shape work in rural as well as urban centres. The rural-to-urban migration is probably at one of its lowest ebbs, say labour ministry officials, consultants and economists ET spoke to. There has been a near-10% decline in blue collar workforce moving to cities for jobs. This is enough to choke the ...
Record agriculture production in India is helping world to ensure food security: Agriculture Ministeredit
The Statesman – Online
With record production of food grains, pulses and oilseeds India has ensured food security in the world, said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar here on Saturday. Addressing the first-ever United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021, the Minister said India had record production of 308 million metric tons of food grains, through which it is not only meeting its domestic requirements but also ensuring food security to the world. He said despite Covid-19 pandemic, India’s foodgrains production continued to increase. “India is leaving no stone unturned to make agriculture a profitable business for our farmers,” the Minister said.
Govt. Policies
US, India launch task forces on Hydrogen, Biofuels to decarbonize energy sectoredit
Mint – Online
The US department of energy along with its Indian counterpart has launched new public-private task forces on Hydrogen and Biofuels to expand the use of clean energy technologies, an official statement said on Friday. “Under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP), the department of energy together with Indian counterparts launched a new public-private Hydrogen Task Force as well as a Biofuels Task Force. These groups will help expand the use of clean energy technologies to decarbonize the energy sector,” read the statement.
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Despite delayed monsoon, Kharif sowing touches 83.84 lakh hectaresedit
The Indian Express – Online
Despite the delayed monsoon, farmers in Gujarat have sown 83.84 lakh hectares this Kharif season, which is more than 98 per cent of the average area that gets cultivated during this period. With the state so far receiving 609 mm (millimetres) of rains this monsoon, the rainfall deficit in Gujarat as on September 25 has shrunk to 11 per cent. Despite the shortfall existing in many districts, the sowing is almost nearing 100 per cent. The average area under Kharif crops in Gujarat during the last three years stood at 85.54 lakh hectares, while last year, it was 85.83 lakh hectares.
Stubble Burning
The fertile power of the earth is reduced by burning stubbleedit
Jagran – Online
The Deputy Commissioner Malerkotla has geared up to prevent the maximum stubble burning villages during the paddy season last year from stubble burning this time. DC Amrit Kaur Gill held a street meeting with the farmers of Kuthala, Mitthewal, Dasodha Singh Wala and Jhuner villages and made them aware about not burning stubble. Deputy Commissioner Amrit Kaur Gill, while addressing the farmers at the Cooperative Society of village Kuthala, Park of Mitthewal, Dasodha Singh Wala and Gurdwara Sahib of Jhuner, said that burning of stubble causes pollution in the environment. Second, the fertile power of the earth is less, due to which the farmer has to use more fertilizers and pesticides. In such a situation, with ...