-The Telegraph The 6.1 per cent hike in the MSP is expected to disburse a cumulative additional income of Rs 62,635 crore. New Delhi: The Centre has increased the minimum support price for wheat, the main rabi crop, by Rs 105 to Rs 1,840 per quintal (100kg), a day after police clashed with farmers demanding a higher support price and Loan waivers. The 6.1 per cent hike in the MSP is expected to...

-The Hindu Protesters seek implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report; Centre says formula for MSP is economically unviable As the thousands of protesting farmers affiliated to the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait group) were prevented from entering Delhi in support of their demands, Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said the Centre would consider reducing GST on farm equipment to 5%. The farmers have demanded that farm equipment be...

-The Telegraph Distressed farmers marching for 10 days ran into water cannons and tear gas on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Distressed farmers marching for 10 days ran into water cannons and teargas on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi who taught the world the power of non-violence and Lal Bahadur Shastri who immortalised the “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” slogan. The...

-Down to Earth Can pre-poll sops like giving smart phones with internet connectivity to farmers increase farm income? Last week, thousands of farmers and agricultural workers poured into the National Capital to attract and focus the attention of the Central government to their demands. The Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally, organised by farmers’ organization, All India Kisan Sabha, and the All India Agriculture Workers Union, broke all records as far as crowd numbers...

A recent report by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) enlightens one about the state of farmers' income and indebtedness in 2015-16. Entitled NABARD All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey 2016-17 – in short NAFIS 2016-17 – the report says that between 2012-13 and 2015-16 the average monthly income for agricultural households grew by around 39 percent. One may recall that the Key Indicators of Situation Assessment Survey...