Air quality in North India in general and Delhi National Capital Region (Delhi NCR) in particular plunged to its lowest point in recent years during October-November thanks to a variety of factors. Through media reports one comes to know that stubble burning (also called paddy straw burning/ crop residue burning) is chiefly responsible for the public health crisis in India's capital and its nearby regions. Data accessed from the website...

-The Indian Express Stubble management machines, unlike tractors, lie idle for most time, making it an unviable investment “The machine works well, no doubt. But what’s the use if it runs for only 25-30 days and has to be parked in my shed for the rest of the year?” asks Palwinder Singh. The 50-year-old from Sahari village in Gurdaspur district and tehsil has not one, but three Happy seeders. The first of...

-National Herald Odisha government made linking of Aadhaar with PDS compulsory for all beneficiaries; technological issues like low internet penetration contributing to humanitarian crisis After Jharkhand, now several hundreds of ration cardholders from three districts in Odisha have been denied their Public Distribution System (PDS) food grains for at least 60 days mostly on the basis of the failure of Aadhaar system. According to a survey conducted in three districts—Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Malkangiri—...

-The Hindu Business Line Clause for compensation panel, regulation of seed prices scrapped New Delhi: The revised draft seeds Bill 2019, which the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare placed in the public domain recently for suggestions and comments, seems to be a watered down version of a draft prepared about nine years ago by the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Among other things, the new draft has done away with the...

-The Hindu Business Line RCEP will jeopardise India’s seed industry With Brexit now a certainty, the days of liberal globalization are numbered. Open borders, FTAs and multilateral agreements are no longer in vogue. However, India seems inclined to ink the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), perhaps the world’s biggest free trade agreement. This seems an ill-advised step. India boosts of a vibrant seed sector with public institutions and a variety of private...