Government’s three farm ordinances ‘death knell’ for agriculture, alleges Congress
The Congress on Saturday hit out at the Centre over three farm ordinances, alleging that they would subjugate the farmers “at the altar of a handful of crony capitalists” and were a “death knell” for agriculture. The party asserted that it will oppose the ordinances both inside and outside Parliament and reach out to like-minded parties to put up a joint resistance on the issue.
The Congress’ attack came amid protests by farmers, including in Haryana and Punjab, against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.
Crop planting rises 5.7% to a new record of 110.45 million hectares, bumper harvest likely
Crop planting has expanded to a new record of 110.45 million hectares, rising 5.7% over last year and setting the stage for another bumper harvest.
Crop area is likely to increase further as rice planting is still continuing, although at a slow pace as the monsoon season is coming to an end.
Sowing of pulses, coarse cereals, millets and oilseeds is almost over. The final sowing figures for kharif season will be finalised on October 1, 2020 as monsoon is likely to start retreating from western Rajasthan around mid-September.
Nabard to disburse Rs 1.20 lakh crore crop loan this fiscal
Delhi: In a bid to support agri sector amid COVID-19 crisis, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development on Thursday said it aims to disburse Rs 1.20 lakh crore crop loan to farmers for meeting production expenses this fiscal.
Apex agriculture financial institution Nabard annually disbursed Rs 90,000 crore crop loan at a concessional rate.
“It has been enhanced to Rs 1.20 lakh crore this fiscal. Of this, Rs 40,000 crore has already been disbursed,” National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) Chairman G R Chintala said.
