Professor M S Swaminathan, the country's most renowned agricultural scientist, may be appointed chairman of the National Commission on Farmers.
Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday said the country's sugar output in the current season could exceed 16 million tonnes (MT) on the back of improved yields in key growing states.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh announced that the National Food Security Mission would be formally launched from Andhra Pradesh.
Replying to a Calling Attention notice on rotting of foodgrains at various FCI godowns, Pawar said foodgrains stock in the Central Pool has increased three-folds since 2006, which has ensured better and remunerative prices to farmers.
Since the food subsidy is almost Rs 1,000 per person per year, there is a need for complete re-engineering of the existing public distribution system so as to ensure each and every grain reaches the right beneficiary, he said.
In the first sign of dissent within the ruling UPA government, Agriculture & Food Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday indicated that covering two-thirds of the population under the proposed Food Security Bill was not feasible.
With huge stocks and a possible record output this year, the Centre will soon take a decision whether to allow export of wheat, which was banned in early 2007, Food And Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said here on Thursday
An relenting opposition on Wednesday kept the pressure on the government in the Rajya Sabha on the spiraling prices alleging scam in sugar imports, a charge rejected by Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari on Monday held Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar responsible for the unprecedented rise in food prices in India.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the government would follow an inclusive policy wherein both APL and below poverty line families will get foodgrains at cheaper rates. He added that the annual subsidy burden on the government would come around to Rs 50,000 crore.
The most experienced administrator in the country seems to have sat back and allowed bureaucrats and policemen to manage the lockdown, observes Jyoti Punwani.
These decisions were announced by food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his cabinet colleagues were briefed on the monsoon situation and Kharif sowing. Allaying fears of shortage of foodgrain, Pawar said, "Stock position is quite comfortable. We have sufficient stock position for 13 months in our kitty".
The next time you wonder about how the Congress party can get away with arrogance, just look at the BJP.
The Union government has reconstituted the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as its chairman.
Acknowledging that the situation regarding prices of food items is serious, the government said on Friday it was taking long and short term measures and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will soon convene a meeting of chief ministers to address the problem.
India on Wednesday ruled out the need to import wheat this year, as it appears poised to surpass the 15 million tons procurement target. Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar said that the govt is confident of procuring 16-17 million tons of wheat this year. As per govt estimate wheat production was pegged at 76.78 million tons for 2007-08 crop year ending May this year. He noted that wheat price is stable due to ample availability backed by a bumper production.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Monday said that a liberalised package for farmers, including rescheduling of farm loans and greater employment, would be unveiled this week.\n\n
Some of the areas outlined for emphasis are collaboration in the field of crop technology, micro irrigation, dairy, food processing and joint marketing of food products.
The government is likely to firm up next week a view on how to go about the food security bill. Indications to this effect were available on Wednesday with the government sources saying a decision will be taken only after Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's return from Rome where he has gone to attend Food and Agriculture Organisation conference.
A Cabinet reshuffle is likely by July 10, a fortnight before the monsoon session of Parliament begins. The Congress wants its allies like the Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to hand over some of their high-profile and 'profitable' portfolios. The ruling party reportedly wants Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to part with the food portfolio, so that it can be allotted to Congress's new found ally Ajit Singh.
The meeting was earlier planned to discuss price rise and formulate an action plan to combat it. But as Union agriculture, food and civil supplies minister Sharad Pawar is in Maharashtra and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is camping in Kolkata, the meeting has been rescheduled for October 19.
Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN reiterated that he is not going to contest the next Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on the sidelines of the Eighth National Conference on Krishi Vigyan Kendras 2013, Pawar also ruled out the possibility of traders exporting onions to other countries where prices are less than India.
Stressing the role of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act during drought, the chief minister said Bihar might require Rs 23,000 crore -- Rs 10,000 crore under GR, more than Rs 10,000 crore under NREGA and over Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) for subsidy on diesel and other farm inputs.
The government on Friday admitted that market prices of pulses are higher than the import rates and said it would soon launch a scheme of supplying them at subsidised rates to people through ration shops.
In 2008-09 season, the government's rice procurement was a record 336.84 LT. According to the latest official data, total rice purchases by the Food Corporation of India and state agencies stand at 178.30 LT as on Thursday, slightly below 182 LT procured in the same period of the 2008-09 season.
The Indian Sugar Mills' Association, the industry lobby group, will take the proposal to Food & Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar soon, sources close to the development said.
Agriculture ministry to prepare blueprint for purchasing onions directly from farmers and the expenditure on damages would be shared equally between the Centre and state governments.
Star TV has signed up SRK for more than double of Amitabh's fee.
Sugar prices, which surged to nearly Rs 50 a kg in January, have declined by 17 per cent in Delhi in the last one and half months due to several steps taken by the government, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.
The monsoon situation in the northern region of the country will improve over the next couple of days and August will receive above average rainfall, Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar has assured.Quoting the latest report from the Indian Meteorological Department, Pawar told reporters in Hyderabad on Saturday that the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh will receive 86 per cent rainfall during July.
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday refused to comment on Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's statement that he would like to see him as the prime minister.
Responding to the NCP leader's remarks, Tomar said Pawar, who is a veteran leader, is also considered well-versed with the issues and solutions relating to agriculture. "Pawar himself tried hard to bring the same agriculture reforms earlier."
Pawar will be accompanied by Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India leader D Raja and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP T R Baalu.
In a letter written recently to the Finance Minister, Pawar had said that arrears of sugar mills have risen to over Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) and there was a need to hike import duty to curb shipments, which is putting downward pressure on local prices.
That's a surprise since his protege Praful Patel has shouted down requests this week
When KV Thomas took over as minister of state for food and consumer affairs (independent charge) on January 19, 2011, he was tasked with taking forward one single, important objective: expedite the implementation of the National Food Security Bill.
Rajni Bakshi explains why a mobilisation like the Kisan Swaraj Yatra is significant and why it is opposed to GM crop.
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