Media Monitor
Efforts on for zero farm fire goal: Punjab to Centre
The Punjab government on Thursday assured the Centre that it is making efforts to bring down stubble burning cases to zero this year. Every year, during the paddy harvest season (October to November), which coincides with the onset of winters, smoke rising from the fields of Punjab and Haryana leads to formation of a smog jacket over the region, especially the National Capital Region, causing severe health and environmental hazards.
Telangana: Rains force farmers to act on spot; Paddy procurement crosses 10 lakh MT
Arrivals for the Yasangi marketing season remained steady in Nizamabad and Nalgonda, two of the largest paddy growing districts as the overall procurement crossed the 10 lakh metric tonne mark in the State on Wednesday. Untimely rains which wreaked havoc on the standing crops sparked a sense of uncertainty forcing the farmers to dispose of their produce at the harvesting points.
Promote short-duration paddy varieties: DC tells officials
Deputy commissioner (DC) Sakshi Sawhney directed sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and officials of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department to promote sowing of PR-131, PR-130, PR-129, PR 128, PR-127, PR 126, PR-122, PR-121, PR-114, PR-113 paddy varieties and discourage the Pusa-44 variety among the farmers.
Telangana Today Impact: Transco officials lay new line Sravanthi’s paddy field-Telangana
A news item published in these columns on the plight of Sravanthi, widow of a farmer who died by suicide prompted the power supply officials to rush to the village and lay a new power line to the field. The officials have also promised to get a new electric pole near the one acre paddy field of the widow Chiguru Sravanthi in Bangla Venkatapur in Gajwel mandal.
Rabi paddy arrivals from Telangana trigger decline in rice prices
Increasing arrivals of the Yasangi (Rabi) paddy in Telangana’s markets have significantly impacted rice prices. The State is a leading producer of Rabi paddy followed by Tamil Nadu and to some extent Odisha. In less than one month of the commencement of the Rabi harvest operations, both government agencies and private traders have purchased nearly 10 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in the State, according to officials.
BRS criticises delay in paddy procurement-Telangana
BRS leader and former Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah raised concerns over the delay in paddy purchases, questioning the State government’s inefficiency in ensuring smooth procurement witin stipulated time. He expressed anger, asking how much longer farmers would have to wait to sell their crops at the procurement centres.
Will stop paddy sales if cases not lifted: Traders of Jangaon warn govt
Traders and merchants union demanded that the government withdraw the cases booked against them for purchasing food grains at lower prices, and warned that they would stop procurement in Jangaon district.
Every grain of paddy in state will be procured at MSP, says Uttam
Civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will win over 272 Lok Sabha seats with Rahul Gandhi becoming prime minister. While accusing both the previous BRS govt and Modi-led BJP govt at Centre of not implementing numerous promises, though people gave them two terms, Reddy said the new Congress govt in the state has started implementing five major guarantees within 100 days of coming to power.
Will ensure fair procurement of paddy: CM
Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday emphasised the govt’s commitment to purchasing paddy in accordance with regulations, vowing to prevent any collusion between officials and traders that could undermine the purchase rate. In a post on X, the CM praised the swift action of additional collector Rohit Singh in suspending the negligent Jangaon agriculture market secretary and urged officials to remain vigilant in paddy procurement.
Start paddy sowing from June 18 onwards: PAU
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has proposed sowing of paddy in Punjab from June 18 to 24. The university has sent the recommendations to the state’s agriculture department for making a plan and circulating the same to the farmers. The idea behind the staggered cultivation is to save the subsoil water and ensure uninterrupted power supply to all 14 lakh plus agriculture tubewells that feed 35 lakh hectares (88 lakh acres) of agriculture land.