-Livemint.com Raman Singh govt requests Centre for nearly Rs4,000 crore in assistance to carryout relief operations New Delhi: Chhattisgarh has become the sixth state to declare a drought and the fourth so far to seek central aid. The state government said that 25 of its 27 districts have been drought-hit. Earlier, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh declared a drought in 110 of their districts. “Based on a prima facie evaluation, the cabinet...

-The Pioneer Bhubaneswar: The increasing instances of farmers’ suicides due mainly to failure of crops and burden of loans incurred from different sources have brought traumatic shocks and a shattering blow to the farming community in Odisha and brazen shame to the present dispensation at the helm. It appears that the State administration is never worried and concerned about the agonies and tragedies of the poor cultivators. As reported, an astounding number...

-Rediff.com Potshangbam Devakanta from Manipur shows the way in conserving the biodiversity of the state, farming around 100 traditional varieties of paddy and rare medicinal plants, finds Manu A B/Rediff.com. When farmers across India are grappling with weather woes and poor yields, Potshangbam Devakanta from Manipur has succeeded in adopting smart and eco-friendly methods of farming to ensure his harvest is satisfactory year after year. Like thousands of farmers in India, 60-year-old Devakanta...

-PTI MUMBAI: With an aim to provide relief to farmers in drought-hit areas, the Maharashtra Government will launch an amnesty scheme for power bills of water supply schemes. This 'Panipuravatha Sanjivani Yojana' will be implemented on the lines of Krishi Sanjivani Yojana, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said after the weekly cabinet meeting. The scheme will be launched with retrospective effect from July this year. In the first phase, the scheme will be launched...

-The Hindu Business Line Policy interventions, skill development enhance opportunities for farmers Agriculture, the largest livelihood generating activity, is fast transforming itself from a supply-driven to a demand-demand scenario. The discerning consumer (urban, rural and global) is increasingly demanding better quality, multiple choices, food safety and convenience. Diversification is the key to convene these changing demand patterns with supply, and more importantly, to act as an overall risk mitigant for the producer himself....