-The Hindu Rather than just increased budgetary outlays, Farmers need plans that will rescue them from crop failure Similar to the last two Budgets, this year’s pro-agriculture intentions are palpable through increased outlays to the agricultural sector and initiation of various programmes. They seem impressive, but closer scrutiny shows that the measures may be of little help to stem the tide of agrarian distress. There are some real challenges confronting three...

-Livemint.com Farmer organizations in Gujarat plan a five-day protest in Gandhinagar next month over allocation of Narmada waters, crop insurance and minimum support price Ahmedabad: Farmer organizations in Gujarat plan to hold a five-day protest in Gandhinagar next month to voice concerns over the allocation of Narmada waters and demands on issues such as crop insurance and minimum support price. “Despite repeated written presentations to Gujarat government, our issues have not been addressed....

-The Hindu The ambitious plan to help Farmers earn from solar power generation hinges on small details Electricity is a major concern in rural India, especially for Farmers. The Government of India has come up with an original plan to address this problem. Instead of transmitting electricity to the Farmers, the government, to start with, wants Farmers to use solar energy to power their irrigation pumps. According to the January 2018 report...

-The Indian Express The government should not succumb to pressures for removal of trait fee on a technology that has made India the world’s No. 1 cotton producer. During the last cotton season, there were reports of the pink bollworm (PBW) not being effectively controlled, especially in some 700 villages of Maharashtra where the infestation of this insect pest was stated to be high. However, at a review meeting conducted by the...

-Livemint.com The positions of two non-official members representing farming community and one official member have been vacant for 2 years New Delhi: Following years of low crop prices and protests by Farmers, the centre in its budget for 2018-19 promised to ensure remunerative prices for Farmers through higher minimum support prices (MSPs). However, in the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, or CACP— an office of the agriculture ministry mandated to recommend...