-The Indian Express A 2 per cent TDS on cash withdrawals beyond Rs 1 crore may hit the farm trade hard. One of the 2019-20 Union Budget’s less-discussed proposals, having significant implications for agricultural trade, is the levy of a 2% TDS (tax deducted at source) on cash withdrawals exceeding Rs 1 crore in a year from any bank account. The levy — aimed at promoting “digital payments” and a “less cash...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: After years of existing as a repulsive mound of festering garbage, the landfill at Okhla has got a look that is more attractive. One face of the stabilised landfill has finally been “greened” and the capping work continues on the other sides. When the work is over, the overused landfill will get a new avatar as an ecopark. Tufail Ahmed, the engineer in charge of the...

-PTI New Delhi: The country’s total Horticulture production is estimated to rise marginally to 314.87 million tonne in the 2018-19 crop year, according to official data. The agriculture ministry on Friday released the Second Advanced Estimate (2018-19) of area and production of various Horticulture crops, as compiled from information received from different state/UTs and source agencies. “The total Horticulture production of the country is estimated to be at 314.87 million tonnes which is...

  Initial media reports suggest how timely interventions by various official agencies in Odisha prevented loss of human lives when Cyclone Fani hit that state on 3rd May. However, it is essential to also take into account recent official reports by different agencies, which indicate that the impact of the cyclone has been quite severe. A situation assessment report on the impact of Fani cyclone dated 15th May, 2019, which was released...

-Hindustan Times To understand the extent of the damage, the Haryana agriculture department is getting the state’s brinjal crop tested to determine whether it is GM-free at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), which will share the test results with the Haryana government next week. Farmers in Haryana and experts fear widespread contamination of genetically modified (GM) brinjal or eggplant in the state with the farmer accused of cultivating Bt...