-Hindustan Times Heavy rainfall accompanied by hail over the weekend damaged crops in key food-producing states across north and central India, triggering fears of higher food prices amid a deepening nationwide agrarian crisis. A good crop was a must this season for the sustenance of Farmers who suffered because of unseasonal rainfall in March-April last year followed by a drought that reduced output of summer crops. A good yield was expected this...

-PTI MUMBAI: Government is targeting to double the insurance coverage under crop insurance through Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in a couple of years, a senior government official said here today.  The scheme will be implemented in the country effective from April 1.  "The government is targeting to double the crop insurance coverage in the country through Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in a couple of years," joint secretary ministry of agriculture...

-The Financial Express Unseasonal rains and hailstorms in some places over northern states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh during the last two days is unlikely have any major impact on output of rabi crops such as wheat and mustard, a senior official with the agriculture ministry said on Sunday. “The impact of rains in the last two days on the standing rabi crops is limited and localised,” Trilochan Mohapatra, Director...

-Hindustan Times Jhabua: Bhil tribes people in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua and Alirajpur districts have revived their age-old tradition “halma” to conserve environment. Bhil tribes people said the water level and forest cover in the two districts are decreasing and if they do not conserve the natural resources then the next generation will suffer. More than 85% people in the two districts are tribal; most of them are Farmers and daily wage workers. Alirajpur...

-Press Release from Delhi Pension Parishad Activists from seven major campaigns stated unequivocally that the Union Budget for 2016-17 far from ‘Transforming India’, as claimed by the Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley, is neglecting the interests of Farmers, the poor and vulnerable both in nominal and real terms and subjecting every life-affirming program to severe  budget cuts. Activists from seven major campaigns such as the Right to Food Campaign , the...