-Deccan Chronicle New Delhi: With a drought-like situation looming large and food prices remaining high, the Union government on Thursday announced various agri-progra-mmes with an outlay of about Rs 7,500 crore to improve irrigation, soil health, research activities besides promising steps to revamp mandis.   Union Finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the Centre will provide cheaper foodgrains through ration shops even if there is marginal decline in farm production due to inadequate...

-The Hindu Business Line Budget allocation for rural jobs scheme raised marginally to ₹33,353 crore NEW DELHI: In a major rejig of the UPA's flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the BJP-led Government has converted the programme from being a Central to a State Plan scheme. This change, however, did not find explicit mention in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's Budget speech. In the previous Government's 2013-14 Budget, a total amount...

-The Times of India   The NDA government committed to continue UPA's flagship Food Security Act to ensure that the poor get wheat and rice at subsidized rates. The budgetary allocation has been increased to Rs 1.15 lakh crore in comparison to Rs 92,000 crore during the last financial year. Finance minister Arun Jaitley said, "Even if due to inadequate rainfall there is a marginal decline in agriculture production, stocks in the...

-The Hindu The government on Thursday said it proposed to restructure the Food Corporation of India that procured, stored and distributed foodgrain to identified beneficiaries under the Targeted Public Distribution System. Presenting his budget proposals for the food sector, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government was committed to reducing transportation and distribution losses and enhance the efficacy of the Public Distribution System. Food Security Act Although Mr. Jaitley did not mention the...

-The Hindu Overall, the Budget places considerable emphasis on agricultural renewal and agrarian prosperity. Obviously, the allocations are small but a beginning has been made to look at the problems in farming in a more holistic manner. The Union Budget is a resource allocation exercise. The priorities in the allocation were indicated in the address of the President to Parliament on June 9. While the President's address provides a framework for political...