-PTI Inflation rose to 6.95 per cent in February because of sharp increase in food prices, especially vegetables and protein-based items. Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), was 6.55 per cent in January. In February, 2011, it was 9.54 per cent. According to the official data released on Wednesday, food inflation was 6.07 per cent in February against (-) 0.52 per cent in January. pulses turned expensive by 7.91 per cent and...
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Agri report calls for growth on a par with GDP by Sandip Das
A report on ‘State of Indian Agriculture 2011-12’, tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, has called for reforms to ensure that the sector grows in tandem with the overall GDP of the country. The report says that “achieving an 8-9% rate of growth in the overall GDP may not deliver much in terms of poverty reduction unless agricultural growth accelerates”. Admitting that the sector has undergone ‘significant structural changes’ in...
More »Budget 2012: Introduce VAT on farm produce, says government report
-PTI With agriculture share in GDP halving to 15 per cent in the last two decades, a government report card today called for major reforms, from marketing to investment, and new technologies for accelerating farm growth. The report on 'State of Indian Agriculture 2011-12', tabled in the Lok Sabha said, "Achieving an 8-9 per cent rate of growth in overall gross domestic produce (GDP) may not deliver much in terms of poverty...
More »A scam in pulses import? CAG estimates Rs 1,200 crore loss on import of subsidised pulses by Tejinder Narang
In December 2011, CAG tabled a well-analysed audit report in Parliament claiming a loss of 1,200 crore, or $250 million, on the import of subsidised pulses through 2006-11 under the supervision of department of consumer affairs (DCA) of the food ministry. The government's intention to introduce such a scheme cannot be faulted: during 2005-08, seven million tonnes of wheat was imported at high prices, chana (chickpeas) values spiked from 21...
More »Radiation technique helps improve 39 crop varieties
-The Hindu Business Line Hubli: Radiation and chemical-induced mutation and subsequent use in recombination breeding at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has resulted in the release of 39 improved crop varieties in oilseeds and pulses in India, said Dr Ratan Kumar Sinha, Director, BARC, Mumbai. Delivering the 25th Annual Convocation address of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, Dr Sinha said nuclear techniques in agriculture is particularly helpful in creating new...
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