Two aides of economist Jean Drèze were targeted by unscrupulous contractors, suspected to have been backed by Maoists, for exposing rampant corruption in the Centre’s flagship rural job scheme in a Latehar village late last night. Niyamat Ansari died after he was beaten up mercilessly by a 12-member gang at Jerua village, 130km from the state capital, but his friend and colleague Bhukan Singh had a narrow escape as he wasn’t...
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Of lucky numbers and others the FM can’t see by Biraj Patnaik
The Italian phrase "lascia il tempo que trova" (it leaves the air it finds) does a better job of describing Pranab Mukherjee's budget than India's corporate media would ever dare to do. To put it mildly, the budget this year, is yet again, an utter disappointment for the food and agriculture sectors. To begin with, flagship schemes like the midday meals and the Integrated Child Development Services did not, unlike in...
More »‘Budget aims to raise farm yield, lower ecological damage’
Food security and organic farming can go hand in hand. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today gave a green signal to efforts under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture to promote green manuring and organic farming while talking about bringing in the Food Securtiy Act this year, settling the debate on high pesticide and chemical fertiliser use in Punjab and Haryana. He said his government is mulling to also bring urea,...
More »Small enterprises ideal for producing quality seeds for farmers in poorer countries – UN
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today that small seed enterprises are the best way of ensuring the availability and quality of non-hybrid seeds for food and animal feed crops in developing countries.In a newly-published policy guide, FAO cited World Bank data that showed that up to 50 per cent of crop yield increases come from improved seeds, while farmers’ access to quality seeds is a key...
More »Windfall for farmers continues, loan disbursal target raised to Rs 4,75,000 crore
Farmers can continue to reap a financial harvest that first came as a windfall loan waiver of Rs 60,000 crore in 2008. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee raised the target for loan disbursal to the farmers from the present Rs 3,75,000 crore to Rs 4,75,000 crore in 2011-12, nearly a 27% jump.Mukherjee has raised the target consistently in 2010-11, the loan target was raised by over 15% at Rs 3.75 lakh...
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