-The Indian Express The effects of de-monetisation will be the most acute when it spreads from consumption in households to production in factories and by farmers across the country. So far, the effects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘de-monetisation’ of existing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency notes have been largely felt by households, shopkeepers and other microenterprises. These economic agents have, to a limited extent, adjusted to the new situation...

-The Indian Express The poor adoption of a machine that can help avoid paddy stubble burning is an example of policy failure. Jalandhar/ Ludhiana: There is virtual unanimity — at least among scientists and aware farmers — that the ultimate solution to the recurrent problem of paddy stubble burning at this time of the year lies in the ‘Happy Seeder’ developed by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in 2002. But more than...

-The Indian Express Apart from sitting over the subsidy applications for agriculture machines, the state has not been able to add even a single biomass power plant in the last three years. Ludhiana: Even while Punjab attempted to wash its hands of the air pollution that is plaguing Delhi, the state has not been able to set its own house in order either. Apart from sitting over the subsidy applications for agriculture machines,...

-The Indian Express The state’s agriculture department has also sent a request to the Union Ministry of Agriculture to send them an immediate grant of Rs 1602 crore while the whole project is of Rs 11,000 crore. Ludhiana: WHEN almost 85 per cent of paddy in the area has been harvested already, the state Department of Agriculture is hurriedly conducting workshops on straw management across the state. The state’s agriculture department...

-The Tribune Kaithal: The Agriculture Department with Krishi Vigyan Kendra organised a kisan mela here yesterday to generate awareness against stubble burning and propagate scientific options to manage crop residue. Dr Gurbachan Singh, Chairman, Agriculture Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), informed farmers about the adverse impact of stubble burning on the environment and human health. He advised the farmers to adopt resource conservation technologies and use crop residue for soil health improvement, reducing...