-The Hindu Business Line A realistic MSP, better market access and warehouses Agriculture is not a profitable business in India. About 70 per cent of the country’s farmers are struggling to make ends meet. In 2012-13, the NSSO’s ‘Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households’ showed that farmers who own 1 hectare or less of land see an average monthly income of ?5,247, which doesn’t even suffice to meet their household expenses. Prime Minister...

-The Hindu Most of the earnings of the average farm household were spent in meeting consumption expenditures. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a slew of measures in the Union Budget 2017 to boost the agriculture sector. Higher agricultural credit, higher allocation for irrigation projects, a crop insurance scheme and increased allocations for MGNREGA to dig farm ponds were among the measures announced on February 1. But will these help attain the goal...

-Hindustan Times Nawanshahr: “The budget is far removed from reality.” That is how young Meet Pal Singh, an MBA who has set up a polyhouse in Mahalon village of Nawanshahr, dismisses the budget. The tall light-eyed youth, who is feted as a progressive farmer in the area, says the Modi government should first focus on implementing the MS Swaminathan report for farmers before coming up with a new set of proposals. Dr...

-Deccan Chronicle Arun Jaitley has reiterated the government’s resolve to help farmers double their income in another four years. Keeping in view the problems faced by farm families, who comprise over 60 per cent of our population, the finance minister Arun Jaitley has reiterated the government’s resolve to help farmers double their income in another four years. The various measures suggested for doubling income include distribution of soil health cards, promotion of more crop per drop,...

-The Economic Times PUNE: Farmers are highly disappointed with Budget 2017 alleging that the Prime Minister has not done enough to fulfill his pre-election promises made to the farming community. The announcement of increasing farm credit to 10 lakh crore may not help much the small and marginalised farmers, who are outside the banking network. "About 60% of the farmers are outside the banking system. They depend upon the informal sector for loans....