-Business Standard At end-April, foodgrain stock in the pool was estimated at 36.95 mn tonnes, 6.7% more than at the same time last year As a drought and drinking water crisis grips several states, the food stock position in the central pool seems to be among the few comfort factors for the government. At end-April, foodgrain stock in the pool was estimated at 36.95 million tonnes, 6.7 per cent more than at the...

-Livemint.com A look at the past three budgets shows that the government took note of the crisis only in 2016 On 24 April 2014, about a month before Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formed a new government at the centre, the India Meteorological Department made an ominous forecast. The four-month-long southwest monsoon which irrigates more than half of India’s farmlands was likely to be deficient. Over the next few months the...

-The Indian Express 92 more than 2015, Govt taskforce says crisis too big, will take time to turn things around. Latur/ Pune: The farmer suicides, which have remained unstoppable for past few years in eight districts of Marathwada, have crossed the staggering 400-mark in just over four month period in 2016. Compared to 2015, as many as 92 more farmers have embraced deaths in the first four and half months of 2016, highlighting...

-Business Standard Farmers face challenges to bring area under organic farming; organic food, however, may not be adequate to feed the growing population Organic food market in India is likely to treble in four years despite several challenges faced by farmers to bring additional area under natural farming. Currently estimated at $0.50 billion, the organic food market in India is estimated to jump to $1.36 billion by 2020, a study jointly conducted by...

-PTI Several villages in Bundelkhand region spread over Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are facing "acute shortage" of drinking water, cattle deaths along with "inaction" of the state machinery, a survey by Swaraj Abhiyan said. Releasing the survey report, Swaraj Abhiyan co-founder Yogendra Yadav today said 40 per cent of the 43 surveyed villages in Madhya Pradesh were depending on "two or less" hand pumps for their water needs. Among the 79 villages...