It is disappointing that the government has not taken any steps to provide for the Food Security Bill, which is in Parliament, in this budget. A significant announcement on it was anticipated this year; that would have been the only way to see it roll out in 2012. Now, I think, the government must be bargaining for legal processes to take over, which we know will take some time, before...
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No green signal yet for the Yuva Kisan by MS Swaminathan
In this year's budget, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has essentially tried to consolidate the gains from the initiatives he had launched during the previous two budgets. Thus, in agriculture there is no new initiative except increasing the target for agricultural credit to Rs.5,75,000 crore during 2012-13. This represents an increase of over Rs.1,00,000 crore from last year. The interest rate of four per cent recommended by the National Commission...
More »Job scheme pioneer Rajasthan now lagging behind by Sunny Sebastian
MGNREGS figures register a decline in desert State; Haryana forges ahead in the race Is the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the much talked about flagship programme of the United Progressive Alliance government, losing steam in Rajasthan? Doubts over the credibility of the scheme have sprung up in the State that ironically pioneered the right to employment movement in the country. Today Rajasthan lags behind its neighbour Haryana in...
More »Budget 2012: NGOs welcome idea of promoting private investment in irrigation
-The Economic Times The NGOs and experts working in water sector have welcomed the idea of promoting private investment in irrigation sector. "There is need and large scope for participation of private sector in the irrigation sector. The success will however will depend upon how the details are worked out taking views of local people and NGOs into consideration," said Dr Madhav Chitale, former secretary, Ministry of Water Resources. The Finance Minister...
More »Agri credit target increased by Rs 1 lakh cr for 2012-13
-The Indian Express Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today announced Rs 1,00,000 crore increase in the agriculture credit target to Rs 5,75,000 for the next fiscal and raised the outlay for farm sector by about Rs 3,000 crore. "Agriculture continues to be a priority to the government. The total plan outlay for agriculture and cooperation has been increased by 18 per cent from Rs 17,123 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 20,208 crore in...
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