-The Economic Times Organised by Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), the Conference resolved that they will not allow another “PepsiCo India Vs Farmers episode” to recur in India. PUNE: Farmers’ movements have decided to put up a collective fight to ensure that farmers’ seed freedoms in India are not violated in any way, in a People’s Conference held here today. Organised by Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), the...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to shut down polluting industries in “critically polluted” and “severely polluted” areas across the country within three months, saying that economic development cannot take place at the cost of public health. The directions, put up on the NGT website on Tuesday, were issued on July 10 on the basis of a study carried...

-The Times of India RAIPUR: A day after Congress MLAs hailed the state government's decision to provide eggs in the midday meals to schoolchildren, as many as 37 social organistaions and networks across Chhattisgarh have extended their support on the same. Social organizations including Right to Food Campaign, Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, Chhattisgarh Mahila Adhikar Manch, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Chhattisgarh Bal Adhikar Abhiyan, Chhattisgarh Naagrik Sanyukt Sangarsh Samiti, Sarva Adivasi...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In its bid to disincentivise farmers from excessive use of chemical fertilizers, the government is preparing to move on a long considered proposal for direct cash transfer of the subsidy amount to farmers’ bank accounts. The funds transferred will be used only for buying soil nutrients while two options are being explored to decide the cash subsidy — either by fixing the amount per acre/hectare or...

-The Economic Times Zero-budget farming is being promoted in several areas as a low-cost, natural alternative to prevalent practices of heavy use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. NEW DELHI: The government has asked the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India’s top farm research institution, to conduct a study on the efficacy zero budget farming (ZBF) results before its nationwide rollout. NITI Aayog member and agricultural economics and policy expert Ramesh Chand...