The last few years have been uncharacteristically good for the Indian sugar sector for a variety of reasons. While on the one hand, the weather supported good crop production; on the other hand, the programme to blend ethanol with petrol took off in a big way. The long-pending problem of burgeoning sugarcane arrears almost came down to nil and exports boomed to record highs.
Despite high exposure to floods, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are the best performing states in terms of flood early warning systems (EWS), according to the report by independent policy research think tank The Council on Energy Environment and Water.
Indian farmers depend on June-September monsoon rains, as half of the country's farmland lacks irrigation facilities.
Water scarcity condition in Maharashtra has become "critical" due to deficit rainfall, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Wednesday while asking citizens to save water and use electricity carefully.
The Centre will sell tomatoes at Rs 80 per kg from Sunday, as against Rs 90 per kg earlier, to provide relief to people from high prices of the key kitchen item in retail markets.
The death toll in rain-related incidents in Marathwada region of Maharashtra has risen to 52, with 18 more people killed by lightning, officials said in Aurangabad on Thursday.
Several global models are predicting El Nio to appear around the second half of the year, which are the crucial rain-bearing months.
Farmers who are using traditional irrigation systems and practices are better coping in times of drought.
Mumbai and certain adjoining areas experienced pre-monsoon showers, sources said on Sunday.
Thackeray said people should be aware of how religious issues are raked up to distract their attention from core issues.
The slow progress of the south-west monsoon has led to overall deficiency of rains by 22 per cent over the last fortnight, the meteorological department on Wednesday said.
Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat on Thursday evening with a wind speed of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph as heavy rains lashed the coastal region, where several areas plunged into darkness due to power cuts and a large number of trees, electric poles and hoardings got uprooted.
Tomato prices in retail markets of metro cities have shot up to Rs 72 per kilogram on tight supply due to unseasonal rains in key producing states like Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Amid the ongoing festival season and ahead of the elections for five state assemblies, the Centre is closely monitoring inflation, particularly in food items, to enable it to take steps to increase their supplies. "There is a complete no-nonsense attitude when it comes to food inflation, and instructions have been issued at all levels to be very sensitive to any possible price movements in any commodity," a senior official explained. Sources have said that all departments dealing with food items have been instructed to keep a close eye on all commodities and maintain a weekly record of their price movements.
Monsoon in Mumbai is likely to get stronger and the city may experience heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours, a senior MeT official said on Thursday.
Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar speaks to Prasanna Zore/Rediff.com.
Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and its suburbs on Wednesday, causing flooding on roads and rail tracks and disrupting suburban train services as the south-west monsoon arrived in the city with a bang, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an alert for more downpour.
The government was formed 10 days after Shinde raised a banner of revolt against the Shiv Sena leadership. Forty out of 55 Sena MLAs sided with Shinde, which resulted in the collapse of the two-and-a-half-year-old Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation comprising the Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.
Among metro cities, tomatoes were sold at Rs 93 per kg in Kolkata, Rs 60 per kg in Chennai, Rs 59 per kg in Delhi and Rs 53 per kg in Chennai on Monday, data showed. The retail price of tomatoes was ruling at more than Rs 50 per kg in over 50 cities out of 175-odd cities tracked by the consumer affairs ministry.
'He has a fierce will power; he has been a fighter all his life and even at this age his spirit is strong enough to take on any kind of adversity that comes his way.'
'There are occasions when the prices of individual items like food raise inflation; then supply-side measures must be taken.' 'But if there is continued inflation, it means liquidity is aggravating the situation.'
Onions prices are still ruling at an unaffordable level, though rates have started softening both in the wholesale and retail markets across the country following government measures like allowing cooperative Nafed to import onions.
An MLA from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction and a legislator of the Nationalist Congress Party virtually came to blows in the Vidhan Bhavan premises in Mumbai on Wednesday after shouting slogans against each other.
The current spell of weak monsoon over the country is likely to continue for the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
So far, 50 people have also been injured in these incidents, the government said in a statement.
After defeats in their opening two matches, Australia came roaring back, winning their next nine games in succession
Patil said after he cast his vote in Mumbai on June 20 for the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, he was called to Shinde's bungalow in neighbouring Thane.
Rajesh Karkera journeys in monsoon rains and through verdant countryside to the little-explored pristine Lonar lake in eastern Maharashtra.
Every week, we bring you fascinating videos, chosen by you, through your likes.
The cyclone is likely to bring heavy rainfall in its wake in parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. The light showers/drizzle in parts of Mumbai city, its suburbs and neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar on Monday morning brought some respite to people from the sweltering heat and humidity.
Life in Mumbai was on Wednesday slowly coming back on tracks as rains subsided and hundreds of stranded commuters headed home with the partial resumption of suburban train services.
'The government had six months to prepare for the contingency. When the government is forewarned, it needs to take a decision on contingency measures, evict villagers, provide them with alternate temporary shelter, accommodation, provide food, water, cattle stocks. But none of this is ever done,' says N Suresh.
In Uttar Pradesh, the death toll due to lightning strikes rose to 42.
Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com reports from Shivaji Park and the MMRDA ground to sense the mood of Shiv Sena workers -- from the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde camps.
When the Constitution is viewed from the context in which it emerged, it is nothing short of remarkable, he asserted.
From Jhargram to Kanyakumari, Rediff.com's Uttam Ghosh shows us what summer feels like in most parts of the country.
On the parade ground are sons of jawans, farmers, LIC agents, daily wage farm labourers, shopkeepers... all living their moment of triumph; their faces bright with the possibilities that lie ahead.
Eight workers, including five women and a child, were killed and a number of others injured as the roofs of two fire-cracker manufacturing units collapsed in Osmanabad on Tuesday afternoon.
As India's 75th Independence Day draws near, the government is going all out to raise awareness about the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
