-PTI Karnal in Haryana and Patiala in Punjab have been chosen as model districts for implementing orders to stop stubble burning, the National Green Tribunal has been informed. The state governments told the green panel that both these districts have been selected due to high rural population and agricultural activity in these areas. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Haryana and Punjab governments to submit complete action plans...

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election manifesto for 2014 Lok Sabha election says that if elected to the Centre, it will then "(p)ut in place welfare measures for farmers above 60 years in age, small and marginal farmers and farm labours", among other things. Despite the formation of a BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre in 2014, the latest available data on farm suicides from the...

-Down to Earth With the state assembly election around the corner, the model code of conduct is the favourite excuse for non implementation of FRA In Uttarakhand—a land mired with reports of forest fires and rampant deforestation despite having 64 per cent forest area—the government is yet to start the implementation of the Forest Rights Act of 2006. According to the latest status report released in December 2016, not a single...

-The Indian Express Finance Ministry says bank account holders must submit PAN by Feb 28 New Delhi: IN A new set of rules notified on Saturday, the Ministry of Finance has asked banks and post offices to furnish details of cash deposits made during April 1-November 9 last year for amounts adding up to Rs 2.5 lakh or more per person, in all accounts other than current accounts. For current accounts, banks and...

-The Hindu Business Line Sangrur and SAMrala: In normal times, the grain mandi of SAMrala is abuzz with the hum of agrarian commerce. These days, however, it lies virtually vacant, with only a handful of farmers coming to sell their produce. Joginder Singh Sahni says that usually the mandi is full of wheat and rice farmers selling their goods. Commission agents and other links on the commercial chain add to the...