Very soon, finger prints would become the key to foodgrains at the public distribution system (PDS) outlets in Jharkhand. Having given its nod to induct about 12 lakh new families in the list of people below the poverty line (BPL), the Jharkhand Government has decided to go in for high-tech mechanism for distribution of foodgrains to the beneficiaries of the public distribution system (PDS) across the state. In keeping with the modules...

Last year, paddy cultivation suffered owing to drought in 399 districts during the same period Area under coarse cereals is also up by 2.91 per cent at 21.2 million hectares this year Thanks to good monsoon, the area under rice cultivation this kharif season has gone up by 6.4 per cent. Last year, paddy cultivation had suffered owing to drought in 399 districts during the same period. As per the official data released...

A standoff between the Haryana government and rice millers is threatening to derail the procurement of paddy in Haryana, with growers accusing authorities of not lifting the crop despite heavy arrival in markets. The state government said it is hopeful of settling the issue with state rice millers within a day or two, while claiming to have lifted ‘each grain’ of paddy. Peeved at the slow pace of paddy lifting at various...

Over 611,424 tonnes of paddy have been purchased by government agencies and private rice millers in Punjab, an official said here Tuesday. Government agencies have bought over 97 percent of the stocks while private rice millers have purchased nearly three percent in the first five days of the process. Six agencies -- the Food Corporation of India (FCI) of the central government and five of the Punjab government -- are engaged in...

Commission agents to start procuring for Central agency from today Bowing to the pressure exerted by the powerful lobby of commission agents, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has decided to withdraw its directive to make direct payment to farmers in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Union Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar, who was in Chandigarh on Monday, had a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Food and...