Minister of State for Agriculture and Food K.V Thomas on Friday said India will add 17 lakh metric tons of food storage capacity within a period of five years in order to prevent the rotting of food grains that are stored in the open. "We have the major proposal of establishing 17 lakh metric tons of new storage facility within a period of five years," said Thomas. The proposals were given by...

In order to decentralise the planning, implementation and monitoring processes of the MGNREGA works, the government is planning a national strategic framework using the geographical information system (GIS). The move will help the rural development ministry bring in greater transparency and accountability in the implementation of the act as real time data would be available to it. The use of GIS will help capture existing assets (created under MGNREGA) with their location,...

To meet the rising demand of storage space for food grains, especially during procurement seasons, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and other agencies have invited tenders for 70 lakh metric tonnes of storage capacity. Principal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister Darbara Singh Guru, who was here to take stock of the arrangements of paddy procurement at the grain markets in border districts, said this on Tuesday. Talking to the...

After a significant jump in retail price of potato in the last two weeks due to disruption of supplies on account of heavy rain in northern India, prices are all set to fall because of huge stocks with traders in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the two biggest potato producing states and expected arrival of the new crop from Punjab next month. Traders in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, who were...

Despite recording robust economic growth over the last couple of decades and spending thousands of crores of rupees on subsidising foodgrain and other programmes aimed at improving the nation’s social indicators, India ranks a low 67 among 84 countries on the Global Hunger Index, 2010. The country has actually dropped two levels since last year on the index published jointly by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe and Concern...