-Economic and Political Weekly   The runaway growth in states of subsidised solar pumps, which provide quality energy at near-zero marginal cost, can pose a bigger threat of groundwater over-exploitation than free power has done so far. The best way to meet this threat is by paying farmers to "grow" solar power as a remunerative cash crop. Doing so can reduce pressure on aquifers, cut the subsidy burden on electricity companies, reduce...

-The Indian Express Oorugonda/ Warangal: Twenty -two kilometres from Warangal, a narrow road from National Highway 202 leads to Oorugonda, a village of around a thousand farmers in Atmakur mandal. An eerie silence hangs around it, with a few middle-aged men sitting under a tree looking up inquisitively at visitors. They are not done grieving for 40-year-old Modanti Krishnamma. Last week, she killed herself after the cotton crop she and her husband...

-The Hindu Business Line Question use of US dollar to notify subsidies, low-income/resource-poor tag for all farmers India has yet another fight on its hands at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over food subsidies. Many developed nations are now questioning the agriculture subsidies notified by India, charging that the country may have under-stated the actual figures. India's decision to notify the subsidies in US dollars rather than the rupee is particularly under the...

-The Times of India NAGPUR (Maharashtra): Though untimely, delayed, erratic, insufficient or excess rains have been ruining crops in the region for the last few years, farmers claim this year will see the worst crop failures in recent times. All three major Vidarbha crops, cotton, soyabean and orange, have suffered huge losses due to the truant rains. Generally, at least one crop survives nature's vagaries so farmers get some income. But this...

-The New Indian Express Knocks chief secy's door saying they have been suffering without help for three years PUDUCHERRY (Tamil Nadu): The Puducherry Certified Seed Producers Welfare Association has petitioned the Chief Secretary Chetan B Sanghi, seeking his intervention in the functioning of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Krishi Vigyan Kendra (PKKVK), a centre to serve farmers, at Iyankuttipalayam. In a memorandum to the Chief Secretary on Saturday a copy of which was released to...