Sanjeeb Mukherjee &Amp;Amp; Ruchika Chitravanshi

Stories by Sanjeeb Mukherjee &Amp;Amp; Ruchika Chitravanshi

Rainfall in Aug, Sep to be normal, says IMD

Rainfall in Aug, Sep to be normal, says IMD

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2020

The met department said that rainfall in August is projected to be within the normal range at 97% of LPA. In August and September, India receives around 43 mm of rainfall.

As labourers get jobs in farms, MGNREGA work demand drops

As labourers get jobs in farms, MGNREGA work demand drops

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2020

However, demand was still much higher compared to the previous years, underlining the scheme's vital role in providing employment to the rural poor, a vast majority of whom are migrants.

Covid-19: Testing times for plasma banks

Covid-19: Testing times for plasma banks

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2020

While the process of extracting plasma itself is simple, doctors say that it is the screening of donors, testing and filling up of numerous forms that takes time.

For milk cooperatives, it's a problem of plenty

For milk cooperatives, it's a problem of plenty

Rediff.com   29 Jul 2020

The demand for milk and milk products slumped during the Covid-19 lockdown mainly from hotels, restaurants, sweetmeat shops which were shut to control the spread of the disease.

Monsoon gains wiped off on scanty July rains

Monsoon gains wiped off on scanty July rains

Rediff.com   29 Jul 2020

Between June 1 and July 28, about 32 per cent of the 685 districts in the country did not receive adequate rainfall.

Swachh Bharat man, Param Iyer calls it a day as sanitation secy

Swachh Bharat man, Param Iyer calls it a day as sanitation secy

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2020

Iyer, popularly called Param, is keen to return to the US where he had spent several years working with the World Bank at its Washington office -- a job he later quit to become road manager for his daughter, a professional tennis player.

COVID-19: Lessons to be learnt from Delhi, Mumbai

COVID-19: Lessons to be learnt from Delhi, Mumbai

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2020

The two cities finally got their act together by ramping up the testing capacity and implementing stricter quarantine norms.

India may see wave of peaks in COVID-19 cases

India may see wave of peaks in COVID-19 cases

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2020

Many experts feel the concept of a national peak is nebulous, given that the growth in case numbers is dominated by a handful of states.

Drop in health expenditure amid pandemic surprises experts

Drop in health expenditure amid pandemic surprises experts

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2020

The ministry of health and family welfare spent Rs 3,948 crore in May this year compared to Rs 7,816 crore in the corresponding month of the previous year. On the other hand, at Rs 12,930 crore, the expenditure had risen almost 200 per cent in April against Rs 4,327 crore in the corresponding month of 2019-20.

How chana saved govt's plan to distribute free pulses

How chana saved govt's plan to distribute free pulses

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2020

Distributing chana is easier than other varieties of pulses as it only requires cleaning and sorting and can be consumed whole; it was also abundantly available with Nafed.

Will govt's move to limit use of herbicide glyphosate hit India's food security?

Will govt's move to limit use of herbicide glyphosate hit India's food security?

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2020

Kerala, Punjab, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are among the major agriculturally important states that have banned the use of glyphosate citing its adverse impact on human health.

Where's the Covid-19 data, ask scientists

Where's the Covid-19 data, ask scientists

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2020

Epidemiologists worry there's little or no data being shared on mortality by age group and contacts traced, which makes it difficult to understand how the effects of Covid-19 might be different in the Indian population, reports Ruchika Chitravanshi

Kharif crop sowing picks up pace as monsoon moves in

Kharif crop sowing picks up pace as monsoon moves in

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2020

Data from department of agriculture showed that kharif crops had been sown in around 31.56 million hectares till Friday, which was 104.25 per cent more than the same period last year. Acreage of almost all crops was higher than last year.

Can we ever keep China out of Indian industries?

Can we ever keep China out of Indian industries?

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2020

Experts say while the increasing demand for a ban on Chinese goods might make for good optics, the reality is that India is still heavily dependent on that country in a wide range of industries like electronics, mobile devices, auto, pharma, telecom equipment, and fertilisers.

COVID-19: Govt panel recommends capping private hospitals' rates

COVID-19: Govt panel recommends capping private hospitals' rates

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2020

The committee has recommended Rs 8,000-10,000, Rs 13,000-15,000, and Rs 15,000-18,000 including PPE costs for isolation beds, and ICUs with or without ventilator, respectively, to all hospitals. Currently, hospitals are charging Rs 24,000-25,000, Rs 34,000-43,000 & Rs 44,000-54,000 (excluding PPE cost).

Health expenditure in April trebles to Rs 13,000 crore

Health expenditure in April trebles to Rs 13,000 crore

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2020

Experts say a large part of the expenditure in April was spent on heads such as creating infrastructure for testing capacity and procuring testing kits, among other things.

Why there's such a gap between wholesale and retail food inflation?

Why there's such a gap between wholesale and retail food inflation?

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2020

Since March 2020, WPI food inflation rate continued to fall but the CPI-food inflation rose, signaling a breakdown in supply chain from the mandis to the final household.

ICMR study hints at much wider spread of COVID-19

ICMR study hints at much wider spread of COVID-19

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2020

ICMR's serological survey, whose findings will be made public next week, suggests that the rate of contagion may be a lot higher in most-affected cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune.

MP, not Punjab is now the top wheat-procuring state

MP, not Punjab is now the top wheat-procuring state

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2020

Till date, MP has procured around 12.77 million tonnes of wheat, which is expected to reach 13 million tonnes by the time the process ends in the next few weeks.

Centre's agri market reform ordinance comes under fire

Centre's agri market reform ordinance comes under fire

Rediff.com   7 Jun 2020

Kiran Vissa, co-convenor of National Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, said that amendments to the EC Act have nothing to do with farmers' welfare but instead meant to please big players and agriculture companies. This is because small and marginal farmers don't have the storage capacity to attract provisions of the EC Act.