-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...

-The Indian Express The scheme should be refocused towards creating durable assets in agriculture. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has a significant influence on agricultural operations and cultivation costs. If its present focus on community works can be reoriented to proactively promote improvements on the landholdings of small and marginal farmers through the creation of durable assets, it will be beneficial for agricultural productivity and incomes. Critics say that...

-PTI Says some of the immediate measures are implementing APMC Act in all states Stating agriculture has the potential to take India's growth to 8% and create millions of jobs in rural areas, Assocham has suggested a slew of measures to the Government in this regard. It has suggested the NDA government to adopt an enabling policy environment, modern technology and boost supply-chain efficiency to address food inflation, encourage investment-led growth and ensure...

-The Hindu   Agriculture is a profession of patience. Apart from the time, labour and financial investment, passion is an important attribute to be successful. "An optimistic attitude is what sets successful farmers apart from the usual herd. Because a method might fail once, twice or even several times, but the grit and determination to continue trying the same can prove to be rewarding after some time. Mr. C. Jayakumar a jamun grower...

-Down to Earth   People of West Bengal's Sunderbans region are setting up grain banks to safeguard against food crisis Subedan Bibi's mud hut is a few metres from the banks of the Bakchara river, a distributary of the Hugli in Sunderbans region of South 24 Parganas. When the river is in spate she and most others of Goyadham village move to the main market in the nearby block. "Floods and storms destroy...