Without making any direct reference to the three new farm reform laws or to the three-month-old agitation by farmers, Modi said there is a need for expanding options for the country's farming community to sell agri produce.
The police have cracked the murder case of an Indian Administrative Service officer's advocate daughter with the arrest of the watchman of the building where she lived in central Mumbai.
Usually, the annual monsoon forecast is released around mid-April.
Warehousing law amendment on cards to allow farmers use storage receipts as security for bank loans
Critics have slammed a bloated subsidy that has been proposed for the food security bill, but officials in the government strongly believe that the resultant additional burden will not be above Rs 27,000 crore to meet the commitments under the proposed legislation.
Concerned over poor budget allocation for the farm sector, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday said it may be difficult to implement the proposed Food Security Bill without adequate funds to boost agri-output, a must for increased foodgrain requirement.
Food inflation has entered negative territory but consumers have had no respite on cost of living.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Wednesday gave marching orders to cabinet minister Ashok Kumar Dohre for allegedly committing forgery and financial irregularities, it was officially disclosed in Lucknow.
A closer look at the data reveals that a lot of the items are not part of this calculation. The notable ones include buffalo meat, marine exports, raw cotton, and plantation crops such as tea, coffee, rubber, etc.
The high-level panel also asked the government to work towards re-orienting subsidies in a targeted manner from the crop sector to the non-crop sector and redesign the electronic National Agriculture Market.
The Union Health Ministry has admitted that the present pictorial warnings on tobacco products have not been effective as people did not understand their message of caution.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has directed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to bring out a report on the state of Indian agriculture, to be presented to Parliament every year before the Union Budget.
A eight-member central team, headed by Joint Secretary in Union Agriculture Ministry E K Majhi, will visit drought-hit districts of West Bengal on Wednesday.
There was a delay in sowing of kharif onion because of late arrival of monsoon and later floods in many states damaged the crop.
The Union agriculture ministry plans to invite private investment in its project to promote hybrid rice to increase output, particularly in eastern states.
Will it be home or defence for Amit Shah?
This year's kharif output may be higher than last year but it will be short of 2007 or 2008 levels.
The Pakistan government on Monday appeared divided over resuming onion exports to India with the Agriculture Ministry not averse to lifting the ban but the Commerce Ministry has some reservations.
The apex court ruled on August 12 that the Centre give away foodgrain to the hungry and poor, instead of allowing it to rot in Food Corporation of India godowns.
MNREGS labourers are usually engaged in irrigation projects.
To attract more investment in farm sector, the Agriculture Ministry has proposed one per cent reduction in interest rates to 4 per cent for those farmers, who are prompt in repayment of loans they have availed.
After Pawar's remark on Sunday that policy decisions are collectively made by the Cabinet, including the prime minister, Congress said on Monday the agriculture ministry headed by him should work proactively with states to lower prices of essential commodities.
'You have come out with a package for the kisan.' 'You have a package for industry.' 'But has anyone addressed the issues concerning small traders?'
The banks including public sector, cooperative and regional rural banks, were set a target to lend Rs 3,25,000 crore (Rs 3,250 billion) of credit to farmers last fiscal.
According to the first advance estimate released by the ministry last month, rice production was projected to rise to 80.41 million tonnes in Kharif season of 2010-11 crop year (July-June) against 75.91 million tonnes in the last Kharif.
India, the world's second largest producer, had produced a record of 80.71 million tonnes wheat in 2009-10 crop year (July-June) despite a severe drought. Wheat is grown only in rabi season.
Such a drastic intervention overrides existing private bilateral commercial contracts
Highly placed sources said that Singh was apprised of the agricultural situation across the country and officials expected that 95 per cent of sowing operations would be completed this month. The weather office expects monsoon to be near normal in July, which is crucial for the 235-million strong farming community.
According to a decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices will consider the above elements while recommending the MSP. The CACP, an advisory body under the agriculture ministry, recommends MSPs of over 20 crops, including wheat and rice.
Currently, the retail inflation is well below the RBI's comfort level. The government has asked the central bank to keep inflation in the range of 4 per cent.
Testing labs will be established at ports to check illegal export of cow meat, the government announced today in the midst of a raging controversy over the Dadri killing of a man over rumours of eating beef.
Food grains production in the country would go down by 10-15 per cent in the current fiscal due to deficient rainfall, an Agriculture Ministry official said.
Suddenly for Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, sugar does not taste as sweet as it was.
The farmer representatives were unanimous in seeking repeal of the 3 laws.
The Budget allocation for Ministry of Agriculture and allied activities has grown by 114% since 2010-11
The government gives transport assistance for export of flowers while floriculture is yet to be defined as agriculture denying the growers several benefits available to farmers. It said Indian Council of Agricultural Research and state agricultural universities should increase their efforts in developing elite varieties and production technology suitable for the domestic climate.
Terminal Markets Projects will be expedited in all states that have potential for such projects, said a conference organized by the agriculture ministry.
This is about 42.41 percent of the target fixed for the current fiscal. The target to be achieved during 2009-10 is to the tune of Rs 3.25 lakh crore (Rs 3.25 trillion).
'It is almost certain that in the absence of note-bandi, the party would have lost in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,' points out Amulya Ganguli.
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