Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Finally, Punjab Govt agrees to join Centre’s crop insurance scheme from next fiscaledit
The Tribune – Online
After years of rejecting the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party government is set to join the Centre’s crop insurance scheme from the next fiscal. What has promoted the state government’s change of heart on the issue is two years of successive crop loss because of inclement weather and pest attack on “white gold” cotton, forcing the ruling dispensation to pay Rs 1,500 crore as compensation to paddy and cotton farmers. The crop loss in Punjab had never crossed 5 per cent, till three years ago. But for the past two to three years, the crop loss in paddy (both basmati and non-basmati) and cotton has crossed 15 per cent. “The compensation ...
India, Asean elevate ties to comprehensive strategic partnershipedit
Hindustan Times – Online
India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, pledging to enhance cooperation in areas ranging from maritime and cyber security to inter-operability of digital financial systems. This was the main outcome of the Asean-India Summit held in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar led the Indian delegation to the summit, which included external affairs minister S Jaishankar. India and Asean forged a strategic partnership in 2012, and secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar told a media briefing the further elevation of ties will lead to a focus on five specific areas – maritime security, joint implementation of projects in the Indo-Pacific, cybersecurity ...
India must be ready to lead on Critical Climate Change during G20 Presidencyedit
The Financial Express – Online
The G20 could be the definitive moment for India. For the last few months, we all have seen the tireless efforts of the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar jutting out Indian position across the wildly fractured and divisive world of geopolitics. It was in the defence of India’s long-held position of neutrality backed by the argument of strategic autonomy that world –the Western power—must see India in a different light. In that spirit, G20 is the moment what we call—magna occasio—for India to raise the issues on behalf of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. That will be the true reflection of India’s global outreach which is now largely embraced as you hear voices from ...
Stakeholders take stock of farmers’ movement in Karnataka and the way forwardedit
The Hindu – Online
Stakeholders representing various farmers organisations took stock of their struggle and the kisan movement that brought them to the forefront in polity and discussed the way forward, here on Sunday. The discussion on Farmers’ Movement in Karnataka was conducted as part of the 5th Kisan Swaraj Sammelan which concluded here on Sunday. .A. SRIRAM Stakeholders representing various farmers organisations took stock of their struggle and the kisan movement that brought them to the forefront in polity and discussed the way forward, here on Sunday. The discussion on Farmers’ Movement in Karnataka was conducted as part of the 5th Kisan Swaraj Sammelan which concluded here on Sunday. T.N. Prakash Kammardi, former chairperson of Karnataka Agricultural Price ...
Paddy in India
Punjab to supply paddy straw to Kerala, will be used as dry fodderedit
The Tribune – Online
The Punjab Government will supply paddy straw to Kerala, which will be used as dry fodder for feeding cattle. The southern state is facing an acute shortage of fodder these days. Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said this would help contain the rising air pollution in the state. Although, the exact quantity of paddy straw required by farmers in Kerala is yet to be worked out by the government of the southern coastal state, it has already been decided to utilise the Kisan Rail Project to transport the dry fodder. The Kisan Rail Project was started by the Union government to increase the income of farm sector by connecting production centres to markets and ...
20 per cent of fuel used in brick kilns to be paddy straw, says Punjab govtedit
PTI – Online
The Punjab government Sunday made it mandatory for brick kilns that 20 per cent of their fuel be paddy straw. This decision will give a boost to straw management and farmers will benefit financially by selling straw, Punjab’s Environment, Science and Technology Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said. He said following the notification, brick kiln owners have been given six months to ensure 20 per cent of the fuel is paddy straw pellets. Action will be taken against those who do not implement it after May 1 next year.
Stubble Burning
Over 43,000 crop burning cases in Punjabedit
The Times of India – Online
Crop residue burning continued unabated in Punjab with 2,467 cases reported on Saturday, taking the total count to 43,144 in the ongoing paddy harvesting season. The only solace is that the stubble burning cases are much less than the previous two years. Against 2,467 burning cases on Saturday, 1,758 burning cases were reported on the day in year 2020 and 3,403 cases on the day in year 2021. Data also revealed that against 43,144 burning cases in the ongoing season, these were 71,091 cases in the year 2020 and 58,976 in 2021. Four districts recorded over 200 cases each, while 2 districts recorded over 300 cases each, while district Bathinda recorded maximum of 3,583 burning ...
AQI Remains ‘Very Poor’ in Delhi Even as Stubble Burning Dips; Air in 3 Bihar Towns Worst in Indiaedit
News 18 – Online
As we move further into winter months, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to remain in the “very poor” category, at 320, on Sunday morning. This comes as the pollution levels have marginally improved, owing to strong winds, taking a step back from the “severe” AQI. However, farm fires raging in the neighboring Punjab and biomass-burning has prevented a significant improvement in pollution. On Saturday, the worst polluted towns in the country were all from Bihar and their AQI remained in the “severe” category.” The capital’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 303 on the same day, improving from 346 on Friday. On Thursday, this had gone down to 295.