-The Hindu Business Line Indore: Procurement of wheat by government agencies in Madhya Pradesh has begun on Thursday, mainly in the divisions of Indore and Ujjain, where the cereal crop ripens early. Official sources in the State Food and Civil Supplies Department said wheat purchases will commence in the Narmadapuram division from March 20 and across other parts of the State from March 26. The MP Government is purchasing wheat from the...

-The Indian Express First, let us compliment both the parties—farmers and the state government—in Maharashtra’s agrarian crisis for reaching an amicable solution, at least for the time being, and averting a major chaos or violence. First, let us compliment both the parties—farmers and the state government—in Maharashtra’s agrarian crisis for reaching an amicable solution, at least for the time being, and averting a major chaos or violence. Farmers deserve appreciation for...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The national rural job scheme is set to witness the lowest wage revision since the project was launched. The Union finance ministry is learnt to have rejected a proposal to change the formula for revising the wage rate for 2018-19 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for 2018-19. The rates in 10 states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, are expected to remain unchanged,...

-Hindustan Times Both, the farmers who undertook the march and those who went on strike, represent the wide spectrum of the state’s ongoing agrarian and rural distress. Last year, on June 1, thousands of farmers in Maharashtra went on an unprecedented strike, refusing to sell their produce to markets and cutting off supply of daily necessities – milk, vegetables and fruits – to cities. The two-day strike forced the Devendra Fadnavis-led...

-Outlook The downward trend in vegetable prices continues owing to consistent rise in supply. On March 6, more than 35,000 farmers trekked 180 km over six days from Nashik to Mumbai under the banner of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha (AIKS) of the CPI(M) with a slew of demands, including right to forest land and a complete loan waiver. The next day, a farmer took 50 kg of brinjals to Ahmednagar ‘mandi’ in...