-The Hindu A NABARD survey says middlemen funded by banks have kept growers captive to high-interest loans Jammu: Kashmir's acres of undulating apple orchards may soon be waste lands, a survey by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) accessed by The Hindu shows. The Rs. 4,000-crore industry has been brought to its knees by a network of middle-order market functionaries comprising pre-harvest contractors (PHCs), commission agents (CAs) and wholesalers...
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Kisan Credit Cards: Bad loan bubble waiting to burst?-Dinesh Unnikrishnan
-Live Mint Subsidized loans given to farmers through KCCs could very well be the next big source of NPAs for banks Mumbai: A surge in exposure to farm debt through Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) could emerge as a risk for India's state-run banks, according to experts. Subsidized loans are given to farmers through KCCs by state-owned banks. Until March 2012, the outstanding amount on such loans was`1.6 trillion through 20.3 million cards, as...
More »Agent's apple growers don't get fruit of labour-Sandeep Pai
-DNA You may be cursing when you pay a high price for Kashmiri apples, wondering what share of the moneyorchard owners would receive. But in reality, the apple growers wouldn't be even knowing the price at which the fruit is sold in the mainland, leave alone reaping profits. Then, where does the money go? Into the pockets of commission agents, who, sitting in Delhi or any of the major cities, exploit and...
More »Jairam wants financial institution for self-help groups-Priscilla Jebaraj
-The Hindu "If we are going to be serious about supporting women's SHGs, then we need a development finance institution" Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's proposal to establish a bank exclusively for women - which he described as the highlight of this year's budget - may have garnered applause from across party lines in Parliament and could be set up as early as October; but that hasn't stopped his Cabinet colleague and Rural...
More »Nitish Kumar grants Bihar women 35% quota in police jobs -Santosh Singh
-The Indian Express Patna: In yet another attempt to consolidate his “caste-neutral” base among women, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced 35 per cent reservation for them in police jobs. Bihar Police is estimated to have 43,000 job vacancies, including of 25,000 constables, over the next five years. "Reserving 35 per cent seats for women will be another step towards women empowerment that started with the government giving 50 per cent reservation...
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