-The Indian Express India’s premier farm research and education institute has a full-time director after nearly four years. It is an institution whose blockbuster varieties account for more than 95% of the country’s Rs 32,800-crore annual basmati rice export revenues, nearly half of its total wheat area, and a quARTer of that sown under mustard. Yet, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI, better known as Pusa Institute) has an annual research budget...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Centre refuses to give more funds to Kerala for flood relief
-The Hindu Utilisation certificates not given for 50% of money sanctioned after 2018 deluge, says Centre The Centre will not allot any additional assistance to Kerala from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as it has failed to produce utilisation certificates for 50% of over Rs. 3,000 crore fund allotted to it after the 2018 floods, a senior Home Ministry official said on Thursday. The Kerala government had demanded an additional Rs.2,000 crore...
More »With a huge informal economy, government should increase spending, not worry about deficit -Maitreesh Ghatak
-The Indian Express To get the engine of the economy revving, an expansionary fiscal policy that harnesses the energy of the informal sector to boost aggregate demand is the order of the day. That India is in the midst of a serious economic slowdown is no longer in question. The debates are now mostly about what to do about it: Whether to opt for a fiscal expansion to boost demand or to...
More »The flawed spin to India's cotton story -Imran Siddiqi
-The Hindu The country’s hybrid seed model for cotton favours seed companies over farmers Genetically Modified (GM) pest resistant Bt cotton hybrids have captured the Indian market since their introduction in 2002. These now cover over 95% of the area under cotton, with the seeds produced entirely by the private sector. India’s cotton production in 2019 is projected as the highest ever: 354 lakh bales. Bt cotton’s role in increasing India’s cotton...
More »Cut in reserve price of rice, wheat will hit FCI -Rajalakshmi Nirmal
-The Hindu Business Line Govt move to clear grain stocks with FCI; Corpn holding 2.6 times the buffer norm In an ARTicle dated January 6, 2020 (MSP hike leaves FCI with mountain of grains), BusinessLine had indicated that FCI may have to sell a significant amount of its rice stock in the open market if it has to make room for fresh procurement of paddy and wheat. The time for this has...
More »