-The Business Standard Centre keeps close watch, prays for rain revival; area under paddy, coarse cereals at 5-year low till now With the southwest monsoon's progress a worry, the Union department of agriculture is keeping a close watch on 38 districts across the country where the rainfall condition till June has been alarming and chances of drought are the highest. The assessment is based on rainfall in June and the first few days...

-The Indian Express Modi government's potato policy will prove counter-productive. Onions and potatoes take centre-stage again. Having secured a mandate based on people's unhappiness with continuously high and painful food inflation, the government's inability to control prices is, understandably, sending shivers down the BJP's spine. Fulfilling the aspirations of urban voters and winning over a thoroughly exacting Delhi electorate, where re-elections are due, are essential to the BJP's game plan to succeed....

-The Indian Express The scheme should be refocused towards creating durable assets in agriculture. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has a significant influence on agricultural operations and cultivation costs. If its present focus on community works can be reoriented to proactively promote improvements on the landholdings of small and marginal farmers through the creation of durable assets, it will be beneficial for agricultural productivity and incomes. Critics say that...

-The Business Standard Charge end-users and create more storage structures   Food and energy security are often discussed as goals of critical importance for the Union government. But water security is equally vital - and as gravely endangered. Water is as critical for some key industries, for hydropower production, for freight movement - not to mention for agriculture and households. The worry is that the current scenario, in which national water resources are...

-PTI Says some of the immediate measures are implementing APMC Act in all states Stating agriculture has the potential to take India's growth to 8% and create millions of jobs in rural areas, Assocham has suggested a slew of measures to the Government in this regard. It has suggested the NDA government to adopt an enabling policy environment, modern technology and boost supply-chain efficiency to address food inflation, encourage investment-led growth and ensure...