-The New Indian Express KOCHI: Keeping its promise to promote organic farming and paddy cultivation in the State, the Agriculture Department has initiated steps to carry out upland paddy cultivation in 2,560 hectares in the 2016-17 fiscal year. According to officials, more than one lakh hectares of cultivable land is lying barren in the State. “Currently, we are importing vegetables and rice from the other states to meet our demand, at a...
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Harvesting solar power could propel growth in farm income -Sayantan Bera
-Livemint.com Solar-powered water pumps will insure farmers when rains fail and also replace polluting diesel ones New Delhi: India has set an ambitious target of achieving 100,000 megawatts of solar power capacity by 2022 as well as doubling farm incomes by the 75th year of Independence. Both these targets can be a game changer for rural India if implemented in unison, suggests new research. According to a recent study by New Delhi-based International...
More »Why restrictions on stockholding and export of pulses must go -Harish Damodaran
-The Indian Express Govt must learn from mistakes in onions and potatoes, agriculture should be spared of bearing the burden of its inflation targeting. Last week, Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a 5% subsidy on onion exports in the form of transferable duty credit scrips that can be used to pay customs, excise or service tax. On top of it, the Maharashtra government extended a Rs 100 per quintal grant to...
More »India's labour unions are learning how to protest -Prashant K Nanda
-Livemint.com Labour unions are reinventing their strategy to stay relevant in today’s world New Delhi: Ajitesh Pandey, a law student in Calcutta University, is excited about the 2 September strike called by labour unions. With almost child-like enthusiasm, the member of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), has been sharing pictures, slogans, and details related to the protest with his friends and colleagues. Pandey’s excitement reflects a surprising vibrancy in how unions...
More »Harvesting Solar - in fields! -Ashok Gulati, Stuti Manchanda & Rakesh Kacker
-The Indian Express Farmers can install solar panels on their fields that can generate income in addition to regular crop agriculture. Of its several new initiatives, the Narendra Modi government has set out at least two very ambitious targets, which are also quantifiable. One is achieving 100 giga-watts (GW) of solar power generation capacity by the year 2022. The other is doubling farmers’ income — presumably in real terms — also by 2022,...
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