-Livemint.com The rainfall which is expected to hit the states between 11 and 15 March will be caused by an intense western disturbance currently lying over Iran New Delhi: After two back-to-back deficient monsoons and a warm and dry winter, India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy unseasonal rain and hailstorm in 14 Indian states, which could pose as a threat to the Rabi harvest. The rainfall which is expected to hit...

-Business Standard An uniform premium of 2% needs to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all Rabi Crops The government is planning to spend Rs 5,500 crore for the crop insurance scheme that was announced earlier, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. In his Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the farmers will have to pay a nominal premium for the coverage. There will be an...

Amidst uncertainty over India's performance in terms of agricultural production and livelihood security of rural population, the Union Budget of 2016-17 will be presented by Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley on 29 February. Given the extent of drought in more than 10 states of India during 2015-16, it is expected that the NDA Government will allocate more resources for rejuvenating the rural sector. Since the country has seen two years of...

-Frontline.in Even though the country is in the grip of an unprecedented agrarian crisis and many parts are experiencing severe drought conditions, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh says there is nothing to worry. “The government is fully geared to meet the challenges. All precautionary measures have been taken to help farmers deal with the crisis. They need not fear anything,” he said in a telephonic interview from...

-The Hindu Business Line Farmers’ incomes are too inadequate for actuarial premium rates to work for them The farm crisis in India continues unabated, proving all the governmental nostrums ineffective. Unfortunately, the new crop insurance scheme — the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) — recently cleared by the Union Cabinet, to be implemented from the kharif crop cycle beginning this June, too, is unlikely to bring in any significant relief to...