Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Sowing of rabi crops at 9 per cent in stateedit
The Indian Express – Online
Sowing of crops for the rabi season stood at just 9 per cent in Maharashtra at the end of the first week of November. Of the total area under rabi crop — 52 lakh hectares — sowing was completed on just 4.68 lakh hectares till November 8. Last year sowing was completed in 20.8 lakh hectares for the same period. State Agriculture Minister Dadasaheb Bhuse said, “The agriculture department is well prepared to offer all possible help, financial and logistical, to farmers.”
Glasgow COP26: Govts working to make agriculture less pollutingedit
Business Standard – Online
As India has become one of the 27 countries to sign the action agenda on sustainable agriculture at the conclusion of the first week of COP26 on Saturday, officials said the Centre and states were working on multiple options to fulfil the country’s commitment on making farming in the country more sustainable and less polluting.
Farming contributes around 14 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the country. In that, almost 55 per cent comes from the livestock sector. In 2019, studies show carbon dioxide emission in India was 2,597.4 million tonnes. Over the past 50 years, emission rose substantially from 232.8 million tonnes to 2,597.4 million tonnes with an annual increase rate ...
Competition
M&M Q2 PAT up 214% to INR 1,929 credit
ET Auto – Online
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Group on Tuesday reported a growth of 213.6% in its consolidated PAT to INR 1,928.64 crore in Q2 FY22 as against INR 614.64 crore during Q2 FY21. Revenue from operations in the July-September 2021 period stood at INR 21,469.80 crore compared to INR 19,226.81 crore in the corresponding period last year. On a standalone basis, the company reported an eight times growth in its profit of INR 1431.73 crore in Q2 FY22 as against INR 161.75 crore in the corresponding period last year. Revenue for the second quarter rose by 14.7% to INR 13,305.37 crore as against INR 11,590.32 crore in the year-ago period.
Auto Industry stalwarts Anand Mahindra & Venu Srinivasan awarded Padma Bhushanedit
The Economic Times -Online
President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award on TVS Motor Co Chairman Venu Srinivasan, and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, two doyens of the Indian automotive industry, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the first of the Padma Award ceremonies for 2020 and 2021. Venu Srinivasan and Anand Mahindra are recognised for their distinguished contribution in trade and industry with the Padma Bhushan. Both of them were awarded Padma Shri in 2010.
Stubble Burning
To avoid air pollution, UP asks farmers to use stubble to feed stray cattleedit
Business Standard – Online
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has asked farmers to feed stubble to stray cattle instead of burning it in the fields which adds to air pollution in a big way. The state agriculture department has, in fact, proposed funding carriage of stubble to shelter homes meant for stray cattle. Additional chief secretary (agriculture) Devesh Chaturvedi in a letter sent to district authorities, has said that funds would be availed from the state finance commission.
Panchayat official requests farmer not to burn paddy stubbleedit
Telegraph India -Online
A panchayat official requests a farmer not to burn paddy stubble in East Burdwan’s Baikanthapur on Monday. Paddy stubble usually takes one-and-a-half months to decompose and farmers are not ready to wait that long. Burning paddy stubble is considered to be a fast and cheap way to prepare fields for the next crop. However, studies have shown that this burning pollutes the air and is considered a major health hazard. Still, stubble burning is not that rampant in Bengal as it is in the country’s northern states.
FIR against Haryana farmers for burning stubble amid intense air pollution in Delhi-NCRedit
India TV News – Online
The Kaithal district administration in Haryana filed an FIR against the farmers who burnt stubble on Monday. According to the District Collectorate Pradeep Dahiya, the majority of farmers have stopped burning crop residue but some of them trying to disrupt the environment.
Stubble burning: Pollution Control Board says 32,734 cases reported in Punjab so faredit
The Economic Times – Online
Stubble burning cases have increased since the last five days in parts of Punjab. While air quality deteriorates in cities across North Indian states, an average of 5000 cases of stubble burning are being reported daily in Punjab. “Total 32,734 fire incidents (stubble burning) were reported in Punjab, out of which 10,836 have been reviewed and around 21,000 will be visited in next 2-3 days. Average fire incidents have increased in past 4-5 days, but are still less by 25% as compared to last year’s average of 45%,” Samita, Environmental Engineer, State Pollution Control Board told ANI.
The Govt Has Spent Crores But Failed to Find a Viable Alternative to Stubble Burning in Punjabedit
The Wire – Online
Despite the Union government spending over Rs 2,000 crore to tackle stubble burning over the last four years, the issue continues to smother north India, leading to severe dips in air quality in Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Haryana. In the last four years, a total of Rs 1,050.68 crore was given to Punjab, of which Rs 235 crore was released in the financial year 2021-22; however, the field fires are far from over in the state.