Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
There is need to intensify agricultural research: Ministeredit
Livemint – Online
There is a need to intensify research and development in agriculture and ensure it reaches farmers, said Union minister of state for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Kailash Choudhary on Friday. Addressing the inaugural session of the meeting of ICAR Regional Committee-II, the minister said to increase farmers‘ income, “we must decrease their loan burden, provide developed seeds, create market linkage and storage facilities…States need to work proactively at the field level, the Centre is always there to provide assistance.” Choudhary added that there was also a need to shift from chemicals, fertilizers-based farming. “Technology needs to be extended to our farmers. Only research can’t do it alone, the end product of the research needs to reach ...
Govt. Policies
Bihar agrarian crisis: Why crores in diesel subsidies may not be the answeredit
Down To Earth – Online
The agriculture department of the Bihar government has proposed allocation of Rs 100 crore in diesel subsidy October 6, 2022 to help distressed farmers get diesel subsidy. The plan announced in a public address by the newly appointed agriculture minister of the state, Kumar Sarvajeet, is in line with the state’s action plan to help alleviate the financial burden of the farmers in the wake of the agrarian crisis since June. Under the plan, Rs 700 per acre of land will be transferred to farmers to buy diesel for agricultural purposes, including irrigation. The state’s farmers, however, called this move an eyewash and a stop-gap arrangement that is not enough to improve the situation. ...
Stubble Burning
Stubble burning: Centre to offer financial assistance for torrefaction, pelletisation plantsedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The central government has said a one-time financial assistance will be given to individuals and companies to set up torrefaction and pelletisation plants to ensure a regular supply of paddy straw for co-firing in thermal power plants and industries. The setting up of these plants will help resolve the problem of stubble burning and generate income for farmers, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at a workshop on “Guidelines for grant of one-time financial support for establishment of pelletisation and torrefaction plants to promote utilisation of paddy straw” on Thursday. Along with unfavourable meteorological conditions, paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is a major reason behind the alarming spike in air pollution ...
Punjab farmers shun machines to treat stubbleedit
The Economic Times – Online
Barely one-third of the crop residue management machines deployed by Punjab government to discourage farmers from burning stubble have been used. As farmers harvest paddy and ready their fields for rabi crops, Punjab government has prepared an intensive month-long action plan to prevent stubble burning, which contributes to pollution in northern India. At the core of the action plan is behavioural change of Punjab farmers who have been shunning mechanisation of harvesting and crop residue management.