-PTI New Delhi: With sowing of kharif crops almost completed, the total area planted to all Summer crops including rice and pulses remains lower at 96.62 million hectare from the year-ago due to poor monsoon. While sowing of pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, cotton, sugarcane and jute has completed, the planting of rice would end by next month. As per data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the total area under all kharif crops stands...

-Outlook Chandigarh: In the wake of shortage of supplies from neighbouring states like Himachal Pradesh, prices of vegetables including tomato and potato have seen a significant surge in the last one week in Punjab and Haryana. Tomato prices have jumped from Rs 50 last week to Rs 70 per kg in the retail markets this week, traders said. Over a month ago, tomatoes, which are integral to preparation of most Punjabi dishes, were...

-The Business Standard Monsoon revival saves standing crop but fails to fill drinking water wells, triggering acute shortage in some areas Jhunjhunu/Nawalgarh: Just opposite the highway leading to the Jhunjhunu district headquarters lies the hamlet of Pratappura. It is indistinguishable from the thousands of small dwellings that dot the countryside, but for the chasm between the upper and lower castes in this Jat-dominated area. The divide has widened after the sole source...

-The Business Standard Rainfall shortage in Rajasthan to hit Summer and winter crops Alwar (Rajasthan): Khajura Ram has an agonising fortnight ahead. If it does not rain in the next 15 days, he not only will have a poor Summer bajra crop; his winter wheat or mustard will suffer as well because it will have to be planted late. "By the middle of August, the bajra crop should have been ready for harvesting...

-Press Information Bureau/ Ministry of Earth Science Ministry of Environmental and Forests (MoEF), Govt of India had undertaken the Indian second National Communication to UNFCCC during 2009-2011(NATCOM-II). The communication had been a national effort which involved many multi-disciplinary scientific groups. Ministry of Earth Sciences carry out scientific studies on climate change and variability under Global and Regional Climate Change (GRCC) programme. Under GRCC programme of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Earth...