-Livemint.com The discourse in the state treats all farmers—small, medium, big, irrigated and rain-fed—as a homogeneous entity, ignoring differences in the severity of their problems Sharad Pawar breached an unwritten rule of Maharashtra politics. Recently, he spoke about the woes of small farmers, albeit those in the irrigated belt. He regretted that a sugarcane farmer of barely two acres of land is often viewed as a rich farmer and that too, rather...

-The Financial Express There is by now substantial agreement amongst analysts that a strategy for dal production which ensures supplies and a reasonable degree of self-reliance is sorely needed, and the country cannot go from one crisis to another without a well-worked-out policy. However, the discussion is flawed on its assessments of what governments can and cannot do and on the lack of a short and medium strategy to enhance production....

-The Hindu ‘Merchants say they have no cash. They offer low prices [for the paddy crop], which is unviable.’ BARABANKI (Uttar Pradesh): The little makeshift kiosks that dot Baruwanarendrapur’s rustic landscape, supplying it rations and other daily items, have not opened since November 9. The next nearest supply point is at Ramnagar Kasba, a good 10 km away, entailing an excruciating wait at the railway crossing on the route. Holi Gautam, a Dalit...

-The Indian Express The State Bank of India, Maharashtra Gramin Bank and Nanded District Cooperative Bank have branches in Malegaon. But only the SBI and Gramin Bank branches are dispensing cash. Malegaon (Nanded): The family of Pralhad Ingole, a farmer who owns about 6 acre of land, is struggling in the absence of cash. The lone ATM in their village of Malegaon in Nanded district, operated by the State Bank of...

-The Times of India New Delhi: Are you a farmer? How about earning a handsome amount from the stubble left behind in your field instead of burning it and adding to the pollution level? How about also getting bio-fertiliser and sustainable energy in the same deal? An IIT-Delhi team has provided technical support to Asia's first biogas-based power plant which is now operating on paddy straw for large-scale biogas production in Fazilka, Punjab....