-The Free Press Journal Today’s budget speech of the Finance Minister was more about Government’s intentions, intentions for a long term horizon like 25 years and little on this years’ specific plans. There is an oft-spoken phrase – where there is a will there's a way. If the policies of a Government is its Will then the Budget is meant to give the Way by providing the means with funds. Today’s budget...

In the month of January this year, more than 100 homeless persons died (please click here and here to access) in Delhi-NCR due to cold wave like conditions. Although a Delhi-based non-government organisation (NGO) Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) made that claim, and therefore asked the Chief Minister of Delhi to make proper arrangements for the homeless poor during winters, the officials of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB)...

-IANS/ The Shillong Times New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday asked the states to plan in advance for their fertilisers needs and provide estimates to the Centre so that the Fertiliser Department can timely provide sufficient amount. He also suggested that states should increase the use of NPK and liquid urea and reduce the dependence on DAP fertilisers. Tomar was speaking at the National Conference on Agriculture for Summer...

-Down to Earth The government will use its extensive network of women’s self-help groups to encourage the transition. The Andhra Pradesh government announced financial support to more than 70,000 women from scheduled castes (SC) to promote natural Farming among marginal farmers. Natural Farming excludes the application of chemicals and promotes traditional agricultural practices. It is regarded as particularly useful for smallholder farmers as it reduces dependency on purchased inputs.   A one-time subsidy of...

-Livemint.com/ HowIndiaLives.com Even as it presses for market reforms in agriculture, the Centre has been actively using the basket of schemes wholly funded by it to widen the social security net for farmers. Expect that to continue in the coming Budget In 2016, the BJP-led government set itself the target to double farmers’ incomes by 2022. An inter-ministerial committee set up to recommend strategies to meet this target highlighted seven sources of...