The question of whether it is possible to move — and how swiftly — towards universalising food entitlements under the proposed National Food Security Act, dominated the second meeting of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) here on Thursday, NAC sources told TheHindu. Universalising food entitlements will hinge on availability of food grains, and on whether the exchequer is in a position to bear additional cost of food subsidy...

Shortfall in sowing of paddy, pulses and coarse cereals Union Agriculture Ministry officials are keeping their fingers crossed for the southwest monsoon to revive in parts of northern and central India before putting in place a contingency plan for kharif (paddy) sowing. So far there has been a shortfall in sowing of paddy, pulses and coarse cereals compared to last year, which was a drought year, resulting in a kharif output deficit...

Agricultural credit flow by cooperative and public sector banks exceeded the target by 13% in 2009-10 financial year. “The flow of credit to the agriculture sector increased significantly and banks have surpassed the target by extending Rs3,67,000 crore worth of loan to farmers,” an Agriculture Ministry official informed. The banks including public sector, cooperative and regional rural banks (RRBs), were set a target to lend Rs3,25,000 crore of credit to farmers last...

At a time the country is facing high food inflation, its bread basket is sitting on colossal wheat stocks. The stocks, to the tune of 12 million tonnes, lying in godowns and open spaces in Punjab are giving sleepless nights to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). About 800,000 tonnes wheat moves out of Punjab in a month. Based on these figures, the state can clear about five million tonnes wheat...

Farmers are desperately crying for help but the Kisan Call Centre’s (KCC) toll-free helpline in the state is practically inaccessible. The BSNL helpline 1551 or 1800-180-1551 from other connections is difficult to reach simply because calls to other helplines are choking this particular number. With the monsoon setting in, farmers needing advice call up the helpline for suggestions, advice and solutions to their problems, but given the situation, they are...