Critics argue that much more could have been done and that the government was slow to react to many events.
The food crisis was obvious in July but the government had unrealistic hopes of a good rabi, says Shreekant Sambrani.
Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 2 per cent compared to a build up rate of 4.56 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year. Inflation in food articles as a group rose to 11.08 per cent during the month as against 9.80 per cent in the previous month, mainly driven by exorbitantly high onion prices, the rates of which spiked by over 172 per cent from a year-ago. The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly wholesale price index was at 0.16 per cent in October.
Though three crops of onions are raised in a year - early kharif, late kharif and rabi - their harvests are not evenly spread out.
he government is examining a plan of bank recapitalisation and considering an urban version of MNREGS.
The total water stock in the country's 81 major reservoirs is still 57 per cent of their live storage capacity, falling 12 per cent short of the normal level for this time. This is a cause for concern for both irrigation and hydro power production.
The RBI may be concerned about inflation but it is unlikely to put an abrupt end to monetary accommodation
This is Rabi Rashmi Abasan, India's first "solar housing complex". Piloted by the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Authority (WBREDA), the 26 villas in this complex are a showcase for the exciting possibilities that BIPV - building integrated photovoltaic - technology offers for residential projects of a similar nature.
'Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called us for a meeting in March 2016 and we submitted the same charter of demands that we are submitting now.' 'He gave us wishy-washy assurances.' 'We thought he was the new chief minister and we believed him, but later we found out that nothing is moving on the ground.' 'This time we want a written assurance and a concrete timetable for implementation.' 'We will not leave Mumbai, come what may.'
The agriculture growth slowed down to 2.4 per cent in the April-June quarter this year from 3 per cent in the same quarter last year.
Under the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, the state pays a portion of the loss incurred by farmers for selling below the MSP, capped up to a limit.
There is a significant amount of dispersion in the growth rates across different industries.
'At this time, staying in the game is more important.' 'If we do that, then wealth can be generated.'
The alleged 'water blockade' by India could adversely affect kharif crops, particularly cotton and sugarcane that are in maturity stage and require final watering, and the sowing of rabi crops early next month, sources told the Dawn newspaper.
In the coming four months from August, agitating farmers will hold 400 meetings across the country to highlight farmers' issues and protest against government claims, reports Sanjeeb Mukherjee.
Terminal Markets Projects will be expedited in all states that have potential for such projects, said a conference organized by the agriculture ministry.
After a delayed start, the monsoon is advancing steadily.
The kharif grain output is estimated to have declined 2.48 per cent to 117.96 million tonnes while the rabi grain output has remained flat at 109.92 million tonnes, according to a government release. Output has declined mainly in kharif pulses and coarse cereals while a marginal dip has been projected in the rabi wheat output.
The deadline for officers to decide on their career path in the biggest organisational rejig in the central bank's 85-year history ends on January 31. The immediate fallout could be its disruptive impact on the supervisory process for 2020 -- and beyond -- given the manpower shortfall, even as more entities are set to come under closer central bank scrutiny.
"When you switch over, it creates disruption. I don't see disruption lasting too long. You may see the impact for a quarter or so. Then when you look at next 12-15 quarters, it's certainly going to benefit," Jaitley said at the HT Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
Rajan also said the outlook for agriculture is subdued, in view of both rabi and kharif prospects being hit by monsoon vagaries.
In the retail markets, fresh onion is sold between Rs 10 and Rs 12 a kg. Now, farmers have to sell onion at a loss of Rs 2-3 per kg if transport cost is included.
'Rate cut should reiterate RBI's commitment in providing confidence to consumers and small business.'
According to the first advance estimates of crop production for 2007-08 report that was released on Wednesday, India can expect record production in maize, oybean, cotton and sugarcane crops.
Opener Anjum Chopra and left-arm spinner Sravanthi Krishnamurthy bowled India to a narrow 23-run victory over South Africa in an ICC Women's World Cup 2009 warm-up match. Former champion New Zealand gave Pakistan a cricket lesson when it defeated the eighth-ranked team by a convincing margin of 126 runs.
'The spirit of cooperation between the Centre and states has been diluted in many ways.' 'The level of consultation which used to be there earlier has reduced significantly.'
With rising global crude and food prices overshadowing celebrations of its four years in office, the UPA government on Thursday assured the people that it working toward containing inflation, which it hoped, would be moderated in the next 8-10 weeks.
'Political parties bring out money they have stashed away and start spending it. How large that spending will be depends on how much money has been stashed. So, you are going to have a strong upside coming from the election effect,' says Pronab Sen.
Sowing had started on a sluggish note in several parts of the country because of delay in the onset of the monsoon but has picked up pace subsequently as the rains progressed and performed appreciably well in August.
The Congress leadership has become stunted, it does not understand agriculture and the party is trying to mislead farmers for its own vested interests, said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
'At this stage, you should distribute money and food.' 'Like you queue up to vote, let people queue up to collect this.' 'This will arrest the decline in demand which will have a multiplier effect on the demand side for the economy as a whole.' 'The government should earmark about 2% of the GDP for this.' 'And this should be the first step to revive the economy.'
The government will take special efforts to ensure adequate credit flow to underserved areas -- the eastern states and Jammu-Kashmir, he added.
India's wheat procurement in the ongoing Rabi marketing season has already crossed a record 10 million tonne.
'Overall, domestic demand has moderated significantly. 'The weakening of private consumption, which for long has been the bedrock of aggregate demand, in particular, is a matter of concern,' RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said in the MPC meetings, in October.
'The rate of transmission of COVID-19 in Hong Kong was 0.7 -- anything below 1 suggests the epidemic is receding.' 'The city-State achieved this without the de facto police-State curfew that India has resorted to,' says Rahul Jacob.
Officials said good rain in August - though it might not improve acreages much for most crops except urad, moong, and paddy - would help in improving yields in the crops already planted.
India's Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar admitted in the Parliament that the procurement of wheat is slow, and time-consuming.
Following a huge fall in chana production this year, the Centre is set to import more pulses.
This is bound to create more trouble for the Centre on the wheat front.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances