-The Hindu Business Line Commission agents, who procure paddy, pay less than the MSP. There is no moisture testing or correct weighment. Is there a nexus all round? It is widely perceived that MSP operations in haryana are quite effective and farmers there are a happy lot. But the reality is quite different. In the last paddy season, many farmers in Karnal’s Taraori, the largest grain mandi in haryana, got only Rs.1,750/quintal...

-Press release by National Alliance of Peoples' Movements  dated 28 November, 2019 In yet another of its egregious legislative misadventures, the BJP Government with support from some other parties, passed the regressive 'Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights)' Bill, in the Rajya Sabha yesterday, despite wide-spread opposition by members of the transgender, intersex and gender non-confirming communities, seeking referral of the Bill to a Select Committee. We have all been witness to...

  A high maternal mortality ratio (MMRatio) indicates low status of women in the society apart from poor functioning of the health services delivery system. Recently released data by the Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin indicates that for the country as a whole the MMRatio has steadily declined from 398.0 in 1997-98 to 122.0 in 2015-17, which is a fall by -69.3 percent. Table-1 shows that India's MMRatio was 398.0 in 1997-98,...

-India Today Satellite data shows significant rise in cases of farm fires in haryana and Uttar Pradesh compared to last year. Chief ministers of haryana and Punjab have blamed each other for increasing air pollution in cities in North India and other areas by failing to control stubble burnings cases. But satellite data, gathered and analysed by India Today's data team, DIU, shows that Punjab's farmers have burned 13 per cent less...

-Down to Earth Although the actual amount of fines charged was not available; farmers continue to burn residues every season Crop residue burning in Punjab, haryana and western Uttar Pradesh has been known, but nowadays it's spreading more frequently in other parts of country. Wheat stubble burning is a relatively new issue which started with mechanised harvesting using combine harvesters. In the last four to five years, farmers from UP’s Ghazipur district, especially...