Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Priority on agricultural infrastructure: PM Modi reaches out to UP farmersedit
Business Standard – Online
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reached out to the farmers in Jat area of western Uttar Pradesh, which had witnessed widespread protests over the now-abolished central farm laws. Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation of Rs 700-crore Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in Meerut, Modi said the Centre had allocated Rs 1 trillion towards ramping up agricultural infrastructure, storage houses, and cold chain network to benefit small farmers.
Budget
Govt may hike agri credit target to about Rs 18 trillion in upcoming Budgetedit
Business Standard – Online
With a view to give a boost to the agriculture sector, the government is likely to raise farm credit target to about Rs 18 lakh crore in the Budget 2022-23 to be presented on February 1, according to sources. For the current financial year, the government has set a credit target of Rs 16.5 lakh crore. The government has been increasing the credit target for the farm sector every year and this time also, the target is likely to be increased to Rs 18-18.5 lakh crore for 2022-23, the sources said.
Competition
Mahindra is ploughing its own furrow in super-app strategyedit
Mint – Online
Farm to-finance conglomerate Mahindra Group is bringing its diverse products and services under one overarching digital roof, calling it not a super app but the Farmer App. The group run by billionaire Anand Mahindra will bring agriculture, finance, auto, and even used cars and tractors under the app. Mohit Kapoor, group chief technology officer of Mahindra Group, said Mahindra’s products “should not be force-fitted into a container and offered to a customer”.
Govt. Policies
Power plants may be mandated to use stubble in fuel mixedit
Mint – Online
A policy that has made it mandatory for coal-fuelled power projects to use biomass pellets as 5% of their fuel mix and help farmers earn around ₹15,000 crore annually may find a mention in finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech, two government officials aware of the development said. The plan, tentatively named SAMARTH, is part of the government’s strategy to support India’s energy transition and check pollution from crop-stubble burning by converting them into pellets and facilitating their sale.
Paddy in India
Crops ruined on 20,000 acres of harvest-ready paddy in Thanjavur districtedit
The New Indian Express – Online
According to the Agriculture Department, a preliminary estimate suggests crop damage on over 20,000 acres of harvest-ready paddy in Thanjavur district. Heavy rains have been lashing the district from Friday. It led to lodging of paddy stalks with grains and inundation of fields. Though there was no widespread rain on Sunday, farmers said it would take time for waters to recede.