-TheWire.in The INCreased allocation is welcome, but experts say the government should also work to solve pending liability issues and other techno-bureaucratic problems that hold back its effectiveness. New Delhi: On Sunday, while announcing the fifth and final tranche of the Centre’s COVID-19 economic relief package, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will be allocating an additional Rs 40,000 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). “It...

-The Hindu Business Line Private oligopolies may end up forcing small and marginal farmers to accept poorer terms for their produce A big-bang reform claimed to usher in the farm sector as Finance Minister announced ₹1-lakh crore funding support for strengthening of farm-gate infrastructure such as cold chains and post-harvest management infrastructure. Additional measures INClude a ‘facilitative legal framework’ to enable farmers for engaging with modern food chains in a fair and...

-TheWire.in The outlook for kharif 2020 contains a few good signs, but much will depend on the monsoon. SINCe the harvesting of most rabi crops was completed in time, despite the nationwide lockdown from March 24 onwards, an impression has gained ground that all is well with Indian agriculture. It is true that due to extraordinary efforts made by government machinery, procurement of wheat in Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh has been more...

-The Indian Express Third tranche of COVID-19 economic package: Not only can farmers sell to anyone and anywhere, but traders and processors, too, will be able to freely buy, stock and move any quantity of agri-produce within the country. Barely seven months after imposing limits on the maximum quantity of onion any wholesaler or retailer could keep, the Narendra Modi government on Friday announced what may turn out to be a defining...

-Business Standard The UP government's Ordinance, however, proposes INCrease in working hours from 8 to 10 hours a day New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday withdrew an order INCreasing the daily working hour limit in manufacturing units from eight to 12 hours. The move came a day after the Allahabad High Court issued a notice to the State on a public interest litigation challenging the order. In a communication to the...