Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has generated maximum employment opportunities in Haryana because of the maximum utilisation of fund allocated under the scheme by the state government . While reviewing the development works undertaken under the scheme at a special meeting at Jind financial commissioner and principal secretary, development and panchayats department P Raghavendra Rao said on Wednesday. Rao said that the state government had also constituted a high-level...

A national body on maize today expressed concern over the government move to withdraw field trials for Bt-maize and said the decision could threaten the crop's overall development and hit small farmers. "The decision puts at risk the future success of small and marginal Indian farmers, particularly maize farmers, who toil to meet the escalating demand of maize in the country," said Indian Maize Development Association (IMDA). "We have achieved higher...

The budget is more concerned about the consumer than the grower A LOOMING food crisis in the world and high food inflation rates at home made Pranab Mukherjee’s proposals to boost agriculture in his 2011 budget more keenly watched than usual. These are factors that clearly weighed with the finance minister who repeatedly said that his principal concern this year has been the continuing high food prices. The squeeze on the...

Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to climate change, the countrys food security is threatened by global warming. The Union agriculture ministry is right, therefore, to warn of a possible foodgrain deficit, of as much as 20 million tonne by the end of this decade if measures are not taken to combat the impact of global warming on food production. It has also reportedly asked for an additional budgetary support...

The Budget season is in full swing and allocations for various sectors being hotly debated upon both by policy makers and the public at large. What is important to remind ourselves, is that where this will lead this country of over one billion, facing challenges of balancing economic growth with social justice and equity. Food Security has moved from an issue of the poor and hungry and those who advocate their cause...