News for 'Agriculture Ministry'

Ukraine Crisis: What Will China Do?

Ukraine Crisis: What Will China Do?

Rediff.com25 Feb 2022

Beijing will be intently watching Washington's response for any hint of weakness. Xi Jinping, who feels China has a limited window of strategic opportunity, will be emboldened to take additional initiatives in the Indo-Pacific and specifically against India and Taiwan, warns Jayadeva Ranade, the former senior RA&W officer and China expert.

Onions are set to bring more tears

Onions are set to bring more tears

Rediff.com6 Nov 2019

There was a delay in sowing of kharif onion because of late arrival of monsoon and later floods in many states damaged the crop.

Why get so rattled by Rihanna, Greta: Cong leader asks govt

Why get so rattled by Rihanna, Greta: Cong leader asks govt

Rediff.com5 Feb 2021

International pop star Rihanna teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and others extended their support to farmers protesting on the borders of India's capital against the three agriculture laws introduced by the Central government last year and asked why people were not talking about it.

Travesty of truth: Chidambaram on MEA's response to celebs

Travesty of truth: Chidambaram on MEA's response to celebs

Rediff.com4 Feb 2021

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday contested the assertion in a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement that the new farm laws were passed in Parliament after a full debate and discussion, terming it as 'a travesty of the truth'.

Hike in import duty on gold may fuel smuggling

Hike in import duty on gold may fuel smuggling

Rediff.com1 Jul 2022

The government has hiked gold import duty to 15 per cent from 10.75 per cent to check the current account deficit (CAD) and rising import of the yellow metal. The duty changes came into effect on June 30. Earlier, the basic customs duty on gold was 7.5 per cent, now it will be 12.5 per cent.

At 273.4m tonnes, foodgrain output maybe highest-ever

At 273.4m tonnes, foodgrain output maybe highest-ever

Rediff.com10 May 2017

For many farmers, though, a bumper harvest isn't good news, as they have been forced to sell their produce, particularly pulses, dirt cheap.

India to become world's fastest growing economy: FinMin report

India to become world's fastest growing economy: FinMin report

Rediff.com10 Nov 2021

Armed with necessary macro and micro growth drivers, India is on its way to becoming the fastest growing major economy in the world, a finance ministry report said. Rapid vaccination and teeming festivities will push India's ongoing recovery resulting in narrowing of demand-supply mismatches and greater employment opportunities, as per the monthly Economic Review prepared by the ministry.

India stares at fuel shortage with spike in under-recovery at OMCs

India stares at fuel shortage with spike in under-recovery at OMCs

Rediff.com23 Jun 2022

As oil marketing companies (OMCs) stare at huge under-recoveries, India is facing fuel shortage across the country with states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Haryana being the worst hit. The under-recoveries suffered by OMCs are around Rs 20-25 a litre for diesel and Rs 14-18 a litre for petrol, said sources. Government and state-run companies denied reports of any crisis or supply-side issues on the availability of fuel.

Bureaucratic rejig at Centre: New secys appointed

Bureaucratic rejig at Centre: New secys appointed

Rediff.com13 Dec 2019

The appointment of new expenditure secretary comes a month-and-a-half ahead of the Budget for 2020-21 to be presented on February 1.

Now, govt to use MNREGA for rescue of cows

Now, govt to use MNREGA for rescue of cows

Rediff.com9 Aug 2015

'Farmers love cows but find it uneconomical to afford fodder expenses'

CBI registers preliminary inquiries against ICICI Lombard

CBI registers preliminary inquiries against ICICI Lombard

Rediff.com13 Mar 2014

Sources said the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority's vigilance department was looking into these complaints and had carried out inspections in this regard.

No record of farmers' death during protests: Govt to Parliament

No record of farmers' death during protests: Govt to Parliament

Rediff.com1 Dec 2021

Congress leader Manish Tewari demanded that the government should provide Rs 5 crore compensation to the families of the farmers who died during the farm laws agitation

'Gehlot government is non-functional'

'Gehlot government is non-functional'

Rediff.com13 Aug 2020

'While the farmers are reeling under a huge debt burden, crop loss due to locust attacks and erratic rainfall, the state is also facing a COVID-19 challenge.' 'In this situation, you have Congress and BJP MLAs trying to outwit each other in a game of thrones'

What Modi must do to boost growth

What Modi must do to boost growth

Rediff.com30 Sep 2020

'The answer for a quicker boost to growth is simple -- run a much larger deficit, use the resulting public resources to ensure adequate price support for agriculture, subsidise wage costs of MSMEs and accelerate public sector construction-intensive activities,' advises Nitin Desai.

Now, Aadhaar is mandatory for crop insurance schemes

Now, Aadhaar is mandatory for crop insurance schemes

Rediff.com9 Mar 2017

Those without Aadhaar can still avail of the scheme after producing proof of applying for Aadhaar

Nirmala Sitharaman gets defence, Piyush Goyal gets railways

Nirmala Sitharaman gets defence, Piyush Goyal gets railways

Rediff.com3 Sep 2017

In the third reshuffle since coming to power, Prime Minister Modi raised the strength of his Council of Ministers from 73 to 76.

Himanta inducts 2 cabinet ministers, rejigs several seniors' portfolios

Himanta inducts 2 cabinet ministers, rejigs several seniors' portfolios

Rediff.com9 Jun 2022

The expansion was the first by Sarma since he assumed chief ministership of the state about 13 months ago.

Budget 2020: Farm experts pitch for scrapping GST on agri-inputs

Budget 2020: Farm experts pitch for scrapping GST on agri-inputs

Rediff.com18 Dec 2019

Bharat Krishak Samaj demanded that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana should be replaced with a new crop insurance and compensation scheme.

Farmers' ultimatum to government

Farmers' ultimatum to government

Rediff.com28 Dec 2020

'If there is no outcome at Tuesday's meeting, then on the 30th thousands of tractors and farmers will march on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway.'

Data, AI can add $450-500 bn to India's GDP by 2025: Nasscom

Data, AI can add $450-500 bn to India's GDP by 2025: Nasscom

Rediff.com18 Aug 2020

Nearly 45 per cent of this value is likely to be delivered by 3 sectors - consumer goods and retail, agriculture and banking and insurance, the Nasscom report said.

The Election Festival Is Here!

The Election Festival Is Here!

Rediff.com18 Oct 2022

After the Gujarat and Himachal elections and the municipal polls in Mumbai and Delhi, Karnataka, Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh will elect new assemblies next year leading up to the Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024, points out Virendra Kapoor.

View: Why farmers should end protest

View: Why farmers should end protest

Rediff.com24 Dec 2020

>The protesters should entrust the final judgement on the farm reform laws to the Supreme Court-mandated committee of experts and return to their villages, argues Virendra Kapoor.

India's exports to China grow 16.15% to $21bn in 2020

India's exports to China grow 16.15% to $21bn in 2020

Rediff.com23 Feb 2021

India's exports to China have increased by 16.15 per cent to USD 20.87 billion in 2020 from USD 17.9 billion in the previous year on account of healthy growth in the shipments of ores, iron and steel, aluminum and copper, according to the data of the commerce ministry.

False assertions: India condemns UK lawmakers' debate on farmers' stir

False assertions: India condemns UK lawmakers' debate on farmers' stir

Rediff.com9 Mar 2021

The Indian High Commission made its displeasure known despite the British government earlier reiterating that the three New Delhi laws on agricultural reform were a "domestic matter".

Dear Nirmalaji, spend more on education

Dear Nirmalaji, spend more on education

Rediff.com21 Jan 2021

Monalisa Mondol, a law student from Tripura, tells Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar what she would like to see in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget.

Industries in rural areas allowed to operate from April 20

Industries in rural areas allowed to operate from April 20

Rediff.com15 Apr 2020

Fresh guidelines issued by the Union home ministry on Wednesday permit industries operating in rural areas to run from April 30 with strict social distancing norms.

SEE: Locust clouds over Gurugram

SEE: Locust clouds over Gurugram

Rediff.com27 Jun 2020

The dark cloud of locusts, spread across two kilometres, crossed the suburban city, touched the Delhi-Gurugram border but did not enter Delhi.

A Serendipitous Civil Service Career

A Serendipitous Civil Service Career

Rediff.com22 Dec 2022

Every twist and turn in KMC's civil service career is attributed to serendipity, an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. He plays down his capabilities, which took him to the top of the civil service as the Cabinet Secretary or his misfortune in losing a daughter in her prime and suggests that his career was indeed serendipitous, observes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

Climate change making weather prediction difficult: IMD DG

Climate change making weather prediction difficult: IMD DG

Rediff.com7 Aug 2022

Climate change has hampered the ability of the forecasting agencies to accurately predict severe events and weather bureaus across the world are focusing on augmenting the observational network density and the weather prediction modelling to improve predictability, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has said.

Why vegetable prices are on the boil

Why vegetable prices are on the boil

Rediff.com16 Jun 2015

The forecast of deficient monsoon rainfalls scared farmers.

Exercise maximum restraint: UN human rights body on farmers' stir

Exercise maximum restraint: UN human rights body on farmers' stir

Rediff.com6 Feb 2021

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a tweet said the rights to peaceful assembly and expression should be protected both offline and online.

US calls for dialogue to resolve farmer protests

US calls for dialogue to resolve farmer protests

Rediff.com5 Feb 2021

Recognising that peaceful protests are a hallmark of a thriving democracy, the United States has said that it encourages dialogue between the protesting farmers and the Indian government to resolve their differences.

Modi starts pre-Budget meets to brainstorm on economy

Modi starts pre-Budget meets to brainstorm on economy

Rediff.com19 Jun 2019

Tuesday's meeting at the PM's residence, attended by all the five secretaries in the finance ministry besides top officials of other economic ministries and NITI Aayog, cleared a five-year vision plan for the government to make India a $5-trillion economy by 2024.

Exports rise 5.37% in Jan; trade deficit narrows to $14.75 bn

Exports rise 5.37% in Jan; trade deficit narrows to $14.75 bn

Rediff.com2 Feb 2021

The country's exports grew 5.37 per cent year-on-year to $27.24 billion in January 2021, mainly driven by healthy growth in pharma and engineering sectors, according to provisional data of the commerce ministry. Trade deficit during the month narrowed to $14.75 billion from $15.3 billion in January 2020. It was $15.44 billion in December 2020. Imports in January 2021 rose 2 per cent to $42 billion.

Centre extends free foodgrain scheme for 6 months until Sept

Centre extends free foodgrain scheme for 6 months until Sept

Rediff.com26 Mar 2022

A decision in this regard was taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

31 ministers join Nitish govt, RJD gets lion's share

31 ministers join Nitish govt, RJD gets lion's share

Rediff.com17 Aug 2022

The new cabinet, predictably, has a sizeable number of Yadavs and Muslims, though members of other sections of the society also find a place.

India's personal data protection bill may threaten innovation, growth: USTR

India's personal data protection bill may threaten innovation, growth: USTR

Rediff.com29 Apr 2022

The US on Thursday raised concerns over India's Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill and draft non-personal data governance framework, claiming these could potentially threaten innovation and economic growth. In its latest 'Special 301' Report, the US Trade Representative (USTR) kept India on the priority watch list, maintaining the country remains one of the world's most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP). In December 2021, a joint parliamentary committee released a report recommending changes to the PDP Bill, 2019, that could undermine important IP protections in India.

Covid-19 crisis: Revival in rural demand overstated, say economists

Covid-19 crisis: Revival in rural demand overstated, say economists

Rediff.com3 Aug 2020

Much of the rural recovery story is based on the premise of agriculture doing well. Even if it clocks a growth of 2.5-3 per cent this year, it is still just around 15 per cent of the overall GDP. The non-farm sector, which constitutes a bigger portion of the overall rural economy, is now hampered by disruptions and lockdowns.

Guard found guilty of murdering lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha

Guard found guilty of murdering lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha

Rediff.com30 Jun 2014

A local court in Mumbai on Monday convicted security guard Sajjad Ahmed Mughal in connection with the murder of 25-year-old city-based lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha in her flat at suburban Wadala in 2012.

Xi meets Putin, raises concerns over war in Ukraine

Xi meets Putin, raises concerns over war in Ukraine

Rediff.com16 Sep 2022

In what is seen as the first sign of China's exasperation over Russia's Ukraine war, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday raised 'questions and concerns' over the conflict in his meeting in Samarkand with Russian President Vladimir Putin who thanked Beijing for its 'balanced position' on the crisis.