Cumbum farmers record bumper paddy yield

 Early onset of monsoon, timely release of water from Periyar Dam for irrigation and adoption of modern agriculture practices, including the System of Rice Intensification have helped farmers in Cumbum valley get a bumper yield in the first cropping season (Kuruvai) this year. 

Highest yield in Theni district of Tamil Nadu State was 10072 Kgs per hectare as reported by Joint Director of Agriculture department. Farmers are happy, the traders have made on-the-spot procurement minimising the post-harvest loss. 

It is quite heartening to note that the Farmers are quite progressive in this area in using machines for transplantation, weeding, spraying fertilisers and harvesting.

One would wish the farmers all over the country follow this example. Sooner the better!

+++++++++++++++++

ASSOCHAM Study:

Considering deficit in rainfall for 2015-16 pulse production in India might decline and decrease to 17 million tonnes (against 17.2 million tonnes in 1014-15), a total of 10.1 million tonnes of pulses might have to be imported. 

For per capita consumption of 21.8 (against 20.8 in 2011-12) kgs and monthly per capita consumption expenditure of Rs 158.8 (against Rs. 96.00 in 2011-12) the total consumption demand would be around 27.1 million tonnes in 2015-16. Hence the expected demand for imports to that extent.

Any planning done and remedial measures undertaken by the Maratha leader Mr Sharad Pawar as Union Agriculture Minister  during UPA regime under the economist PM Dr. Manmohan Singh? Not visible and notable by the way!

What is the guarantee that the present establishment at Delhi would ensure dramatic steps for the better in the days to come? No one knows really, I say!

+++++++++++++++++++++++

ASSOCHAM Study:

Considering deficit in rainfall for 2015-16 pulse production in India might decline and decrease to 17 million tonnes (against 17.2 million tonnes in 1014-15), a total of 10.1 million tonnes of pulses might have to be imported. 

For per capita consumption of 21.8 (against 20.8 in 2011-12) kgs and monthly per capita consumption expenditure of Rs 158.8 (against Rs. 96.00 in 2011-12) the total consumption demand would be around 27.1 million tonnes in 2015-16. Hence the expected demand for imports to that extent.

Any planning done and remedial measures undertaken by the Maratha leader Mr Sharad Pawar as Union Agriculture Minister  during UPA regime under the economist PM Dr. Manmohan Singh? Not visible and notable by the way!

What is the guarantee that the present establishment at Delhi would ensure dramatic steps for the better in the days to come? No one knows really, I say!

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Nobel Lessons

To really improve its welfare policy, India needs improved data and accountability - look at the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize for economics, Angus Deaton, who has had a long professional association with India. And various lessons from his work are quite relevant to Indian public policy today, for example the lesson about measurement being the key to enforcing accountability. Deaton was a pioneer in devising ways to measure consumption, which led to a better understanding of poverty and ways to fight it. India, unfortunately, falls short when it comes to measurement.

For an India audience, the Nobel is a welcome development as his work has been of particular relevance to our challenges. We spend over Rs 3 trillion annually on subsidies and welfare measurers but make slow progress in poverty reduction, with almost a third of the population still poor. India’s fight against poverty, however, has benefitted from Deaton’s body of work and will continue to gain from his relentless drive to understand the way things work.

As a matter of fact India is a land of opportunity and the source of inspiration to scholars and economists to fathom more and more  and come to findings that could fetch awards and prizes.

Story & History

Hardly any difference between the story and the history if you look closely at the so called history books written by the so called scholars who too were subject to whims and fancies unless corroborated by two-three sources which I am afraid is not the case with many facts and figures of any history book - world history or Indian history. I consider the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are parts of history only in bits and pieces narrated and interpreted for ages and millenniums.

++++++++++++++++++

The disturbing trend of empty galleries (The Hindu, November 6, 2015)

Legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar too would feel depressed if they happen to be performing n front of empty gallery. Mohali test is the latest example where empty galleries were watching and laughing at the test players!

I would say it is a good sign. It augurs well for other active and manly games like hockey, football and athletics etc. to pick up. In fact Cricket, like golf, was a stately game played by the English lords and their servants  in those days. Initially they were wasting a number of days by playing  such a low paced game.

Precious mandays of active workers and their hard-earned money should not be invested in such games in a developing nation like ours for some more time. 

+++++++++++++++++