-The Tribune Contract farming is a much-needed vehicle to bring new crops, technologies, and markets to farmers. However, the new model Act 2018 opens up agricultural markets to contracting agencies without adequate safeguards for farmers. The first attempt at reforms in agricultural markets was made by the union government with the design of a model Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act in 2003 which provided for new market channels for farmers and...
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'Open-ended' FIR filed in Aadhaar leak case
-The Times of India NEW DELHI/ JALANDHAR: Delhi Police has registered an "open-ended" FIR in connection with the alleged leak of Aadhaar data for a fee. The FIR has been lodged on the complaint of a senior UIDAI official under Sections 36 and 37 of the Aadhaar Act, apart from Indian Penal Code sections on cheating, forgery and impersonation, and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act. On January 3, a report...
More »Can farmer producer groups replace arhtiyas, push crop diversification? -Vibhor Mohan
-The Times of India CHANDIGARH: Agri marketing in Punjab is unimaginable without Commission Agents (arhtiyas). But a section of farmers in the state are beginning to respond to farmer producer organizations' (FPOs) attempt at marketing as an alternative to the traditional direct selling. The move is also expected to help farmers break the wheat-paddy cycle and take to growing vegetables. A study sponsored by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)...
More »Challenging VVPAT machines wrongly will land you in jail -Ankur Sirothia
-The Times of India BHOPAL: Challenging the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, which are used during polling to verify that the vote cast by a person goes to the correct candidate, would land a person in jail, if it is found that the machine is working fine. The issue has come to light as the election commission is planning to make the people in MP aware of the machine...
More »Farmers' suicides in Punjab: Looking beyond indebtedness -Sher Singh Sangwan
-The Times of India Punjab, the leader of green revolution during the '70s, has become disreputable for farmers' suicides in last two decade or so. Usually, these suicides are attributed to farmers' indebtedness to banks and Commission Agents. However, it is to be noted that bank credit has played a pivotal role in investment into tubewells, tractors, farm mechanization, horticulture, dairy, poultry and forestry all over India, and especially in Punjab and...
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