The Economic Survey has warned that more than half the population is dependent on a sector whose share in the economy is shrinking, leading to a bigger urban-rural divide and threatening national food security. "Achieving minimum agricultural growth is a prerequisite for inclusive growth, reduction of poverty levels, development of the rural economy and enhancing of farm incomes," the Survey has said. But it offers no path-breaking solutions on how to meet...
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Agri credit target increased by Rs 1 lakh cr for 2012-13
-The Indian Express Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today announced Rs 1,00,000 crore increase in the agriculture credit target to Rs 5,75,000 for the next fiscal and raised the outlay for Farm Sector by about Rs 3,000 crore. "Agriculture continues to be a priority to the government. The total plan outlay for agriculture and cooperation has been increased by 18 per cent from Rs 17,123 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 20,208 crore in...
More »Assam’s farmers losing interest in rice cultivation
-IANS Farmers of Assam, that recently boasted of having a record rice harvest, are losing interest in paddy cultivation, saying they were facing financial ruin in the absence a minimum support price and adequate procurement centres for their produce. Rice production is going down as the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has not fixed the price to buy back the farmers’ produce, say farmers’ representatives. And there are only 20 FCI procurement...
More »New policy to end dependence of farmers on cotton export
-The Times of India The Gujarat government has decided to come up with a new policy that would ensure that state's farmers do not have to depend on cotton export in order to earn a high price of their produce. Announcing this in the state assembly, state industries minister Saurabh Patel told the house that the government plans to come up with a scheme that would encourage the existing ginning mills...
More »Budget 2012: Introduce VAT on farm produce, says government report
-PTI With agriculture share in GDP halving to 15 per cent in the last two decades, a government report card today called for major reforms, from marketing to investment, and new technologies for accelerating farm growth. The report on 'State of Indian Agriculture 2011-12', tabled in the Lok Sabha said, "Achieving an 8-9 per cent rate of growth in overall gross domestic produce (GDP) may not deliver much in terms of poverty...
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