-The Hindu Business Line     Facing criticism for rising prices, the Modi Government has blamed public expenditure on schemes such as MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) for fuelling food inflation. Curiously, the BJP wants the job scheme to continue, with the focus mainly on agriculture. According to the agenda note circulated for Friday's Conference of State Food Ministers with the Centre, food inflation is caused by both demand and supply...

-Down to Earth Rural women in Uttar Pradesh join hands to end gender bias in agriculture and claim joint ownership of land Breaking the stereotype of rural women, 39-year-old Suresho Saini proudly drives a tractor to plough 1.6 hectares (ha) of agricultural land in Rahimpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district. The plot belongs exclusively to her. "Women working in agricultural fields are a common sight in India; yet when we think...

-The Financial Express To cushion the blow of a delayed monsoon that has hit kharif sowing hard, the agriculture ministry has asked farmers to prepare their land and nurseries for direct sowing of paddy (sans re-planting of saplings) and suggested cultivation of less water-consuming crops such as arhar, urad, pigeon pea, groundnut, maize and soyabean. The National Agromet Advisory Services, a joint initiatives by India Meteorological Department (IMD) and ministry of agriculture,...

-The Hindu Business Line Hyderabad: Eminent agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan has said it is not right to put the entire blame on the GM (genetically modified) crops for the farm distress in the country. He said it is one of the several factors that affect the farm sector and requires a different approach to tackle it. "I am not defending anything but putting the entire blame on GM crops would be oversimplifying...

-The Times of India The government on Tuesday admitted that a drought-like situation may prevail in parts of western India and said contingency plans were being worked out to ensure drinking water and fodder in distressed areas. Monsoon is delayed Western India is expected to be worst affected and drought like situation might prevail in some pockets," agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh was quoted as saying in a PTI report. The assessment will...