-India Today India seems to be staring at a possible drought in some regions with the met department reporting a acute deficit in rainfall in many areas. Mumbai has been receiving heavy rainfall and a warning has been issued of a possible high tide of 4.95 metres at 2.28 pm today. High tides above 4 meters are considered as dangerous and so BMC's disaster management department will keep tight security at all beaches...

-The Business Standard Slew of monetary allocations show no clear shift in strategy Finance Minister Arun Jaitley peppered his long speech with announcements of 28 schemes and projects of Rs 100 crore each. This suggests the National Democratic Alliance had grafted a social and agriculture agenda different from the United Progressive Alliance's.   However, it was a relatively low-cost trick to dazzle and distract in a year when fiscal constraints remain as worrisome. The...

-The Hindu Overall, the Budget places considerable emphasis on agricultural renewal and agrarian prosperity. Obviously, the allocations are small but a beginning has been made to look at the problems in farming in a more holistic manner. The Union Budget is a resource allocation exercise. The priorities in the allocation were indicated in the address of the President to Parliament on June 9. While the President's address provides a framework for political...

-The Hindu Business Line Visakhapatnam: The share of co-operatives in rural credit, which once stood at 60 per cent in 1990, has now declined to a paltry 15 per cent and therefore there is an urgent need to revitalise primary agricultural co-operatives (PACs) by converting them into multi-service centres, according to Jiji Mammen, the Chief General Manager of the NABARD, Hyderabad. He was speaking here on Wednesday at the inaugural of...

-Down to Earth Jaitley continues with UPA schemes on agriculture, allocates more funds The maiden budget of finance minister Arun Jaitley is disappointing for farmers as it has nothing in its kitty to address the increasing farm stress and resolve the ongoing agrarian crisis in the country. The much-awaited budget of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) neither talks about assured farm income nor gives any remedy to reduce farm...