-The Hindu Business Line First nation-wide, agri market intelligence system — to help farmers get better price — will become operational from next kharif The government will give out price and demand forecasts for various major foodgrains and price-sensitive horticulture crops such as onions from the forthcoming kharif season helping farmers take informed decision on growing different crops, a senior official of the Agriculture Ministry said. “We will be making pre-seasonal as well...

-The Indian Express The new year could witness the first national elections being fought on farmers’ issues. And it could test both the ruling BJP pushed to the defensive, particularly in the larger sugar-producing states, and the Congress under pressure to deliver loan waivers If 2017 saw the beginnings of agrarian unrest in large swathes of the country, 2018 brought it centrestage as the numero uno political issue. And almost everyone’s...

-The Hindu Study cites combination of socio-economic factors such as marital prospects. A rise in literacy levels among women has failed to translate into an increase in the number of working women due to a combination of socio-economic factors such as the importance of education for improving marital prospects as well as higher prestige attached to households which keep women out of labour force, according to a new research. A study authored by...

-The Indian Express Loan waivers are poll bait. What is needed is a structured and stable income support policy. The talk of the season on the farm front seems to be loan waivers. Farmer leaders are asking for it and those looking for power are ready to oblige. Newly elected chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have all announced loan waivers within their promised time of 10 days. It...

-The Indian Express On Tuesday, the 49-year-old labourer from Odisha's Sundergarh district fled from a brick-making unit in Vishakapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, after his employer allegedly threw acid on his face and neck during an altercation over wages. Bhubaneswar: In broken sentences and a feeble voice, Jaydev Chandnia says over the phone that he is shivering while still feeling that his body is on fire. On Tuesday, the 49-year-old labourer from...