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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="farmers">farmers</keyword> are protesting three laws that they fear will threaten their livelihoods and cost lives.</li><li>The laws deregulate the buying and selling of agricultural goods, leading farmers to fear they will be exploited by corporations.</li><li><keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> has some of the highest farmer <keyword id="6356238" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="suicide">suicide</keyword> rates in the world, and experts fear the crisis could worsen if the laws are not repealed.</li><li>India's government is in talks with farmers who continue to block road and rail routes across the country.</li></ul>Across India, farmers are demanding an end to new laws they say are not just threatening their livelihoods, but costing lives.Protests that erupted in the state of Punjab have spread throughout the country as farmers demand a complete rollback of the three laws that were passed in September. Collectively, the laws deregulate the buying and selling of agricultural goods, leaving farmers exposed to the uncertainties of an open market and potential exploitation by corporations.Meanwhile, record numbers of farmers in India are committing suicide, and experts fear the farming laws could drive even more people to the brink."The new laws that they have passed, we call them death warrants of farmers and laborers," farmer Kewal Singh of Punjab said.Agriculture sustains over 40% of the population in India. And as COVID-19 ravaged the country this year, it's farmers who have kept India's rural economy afloat. But the majority of farms are small, family-run operations, often at the mercy of loan sharks."This is the kind of farming community which is incredibly vulnerable to all kinds of uncertainties," said Vikram Patel, a professor at Harvard University's TH Chan School of Public Health. "Many of these farmers don't have any surety the banks demand in order to give them loans, so they borrow money from loan sharks, who are of course pretty ruthless. And if you pump your money back, well, they can be pretty dangerous to you or your family."India has some of the highest farmer suicide rates in the world, with more than 10,000 deaths each year, and numbers expected to have reached a record high in 2020. In Punjab, three to four farmer suicides are reported in the local <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> every single day.<div type="image" title="BIT_MMDD_Episode_V1.00_05_45_29.Still010" height="1080" width="1920" msid="80159631" hostid="261"></div>Nasseemo Kaur's son, 48-year-old Karamjeet Singh was among the deaths by suicide. He left behind a wife, son, and daughter."He worked as a laborer, but he could hardly earn anything," Kaur said. "He sold his land and crops. After this deed was done he thought that his life had no meaning, and he drank some pesticide.""We were collapsing under the weight of debt. We often used to cry, he used to say, 'What will we do? How will I marry my children? How will we sustain ourselves?'"Without her son to provide an income, another grieving parent, Naseemo Singh, is struggling to scratch a living."Now we all will have to work. This house has women. I am the old mother-in-law. I have a daughter-in-law and a daughter. We all will have to find some work for our sustenance," she said.She's now joined other grieving parents on the protest front lines to fight against laws they believe will only lead to more tragedy."I will not stop protesting for what is right," she said. "Without protest nothing is possible. Any rights that we aspire to attain will only come through protest."The new laws don't just affect the landowners and the land workers, but also the middle men who used to buy the produce at fixed prices.<h2><a href="https://www.facebook.com/313820309356251/videos/1866407880175013">See the full story on Business Insider Weekly »</a></h2>

India has a farmer suicide epidemic - and farmers are protesting new laws they fear will make things worse

In one of the most shocking and ridiculous political developments today, a <keyword id="48857" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Farmer">farmer</keyword> committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in the presence of <keyword id="6399360" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Delhi-chief-Minister">Delhi Chief Minister</keyword> <keyword id="260213" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> at the Aam Aadmi Party's rally here against the <keyword id="87979" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Land-Bill">land bill</keyword>. At the time of the incident, there were more than few thousand farmers, numerous <keyword id="6356115" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="AAP">AAP</keyword> supporters as well as several policemen present at the rally. 
 The man, identified as <keyword id="27515" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Gajendra-Singh">Gajendra Singh</keyword>, climbed the tree as top AAP leaders were present at the Jantar Mantar, a stone's throw from Parliament, and hanged himself with a 'gamcha' (towel). As some people climbed up to save him, the branch gave away and he fell. 
 He was rushed to nearby RML hospital in a police jeep. Doctors there said that he was "brought <keyword id="6358947" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Dead">dead</keyword>". 
 
A purported suicide note was recovered from the spot in which he mentioned that he is a farmer and his crops have been destroyed. He has also wrote his family's contact number. The incident occurred at around 2 pm in the presence of Kejriwal prompting senior AAP leaders to allege that it was an attempt to "sabotage" the rally and slammed the police for being "mute spectators". 
 
Kejriwal said, "We kept asking the police to bring him down. Police may not be in our control but at least there should be a semblance of humanity among them. I am rushing to the hospital with Manish Sisodia". 
 
After his speech, the chief minister reached the hospital but Singh was already declared dead. 
 
Congress leader Sachin Pilot termed the death shameful for the public and for India. "Strong message needs to be given to our farmers that we are there to help." 
 
Pilot, however, said that no one from the rally actually tried to stop or save him (farmer). "The rally continued despite the incident." 
 
Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken termed the death as unfortunate. "The organisers and the police could have been more alert." 
 Congress Vice President <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> visited the hospital, where the dead body of the farmer was kept and made a statement to the media standing outside saying, "I want to take this opportunity to assure all our farmer friends that they shouldnot lose hope of feel scared. We are with them and will continue to support their cause.' 
 
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has already ordered a Joint Commissioner of Police inquiry into the entire episode.

Shocking and ridiculous! Farmer commits suicide at AAP rally in front of dozens of policemen, Delhi CM and thousands of farmers

<keyword id="90232" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="North-India">North India</keyword> faces an annual trauma as winter approaches -- the air in the region having more than 200 million people becomes toxic. 
 
Fingers are pointed at the hand that feeds India; farmers in the granary of the country are rebuked asking them not to burn agriculture waste in their fields as their action fouls the air in mega cities like New Delhi, Lucknow, and Allahabad. 
 There is no doubt that after the monsoon ends the vast paddy fields in India's granary <keyword id="41646" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haryana">Haryana</keyword> and <keyword id="6354953" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Punjab">Punjab</keyword> turn into cremation grounds where the left-over paddy straw is burnt in vast swathes. 
 The fires are so much and so widespread that satellites flying hundreds of kilometers above the <keyword id="6359982" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="earth">Earth</keyword> record their presence. 
 This is also the time when generally the westerly winds prevail and a giant plume of smoke covers north India. <keyword id="6358065" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satellite">Satellite</keyword> pictures depict the smoke plume with clarity and alarm bells starting ringing in the corridors of power in India's capital, as per a news report by an agency. 
 
Last winter, even the Chief Justice of India passed strict orders and even contributed his ritual bit by car-pooling, despite his efforts the air remains toxic. Delhi's air is a complex cocktail of noxious exhausts from automobiles, industry, thermal power plants and 'charvested' or burnt fields. Nobody really knows who is the bigger culprit. 
 
But it is easy to point fingers at the farmers little realizing that behind the farmers burning agricultural waste is the deep-deep crisis that is brewing in agriculture and it is hugely interlinked to all the elementary ingredients for a healthy life, air, water and land. 
 
The second big problem arises once the crop has been harvested which happens during the post-monsoon season, at that point, the rice grains are sold at government-determined minimum support prices and the farmers are left with large amounts of straw. Unfortunately straw from paddy contains a lot of silica and is very rough and hence bovines find it very difficult to eat it. Now when the farmers are in a hurry to plant the next crop, they are left with no alternative but to hurriedly burn the agri-waste. 
 According to a recent <keyword id="3775495" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-of-environment-of-punjab">State of Environment of Punjab</keyword> published by the local government "open field burning of straw after combine harvesting is a common practice in the state in order to ensure early preparation of fields for the next crop. Punjab produces around 23 million tons of rice straw and 17 million tons of wheat straw annually. 
 
So when most farmers are custodians of innate native wisdom why are they indulging in such profligate and damaging practices, unfortunately it is really the government's agri-economic policies that are to blame. 
 
Subsidised or free electricity to farmers makes them use their pump sets endlessly and then on top of it an assured minimum support price gives them a ready market, leaving no incentive to be considerate towards the top soil, deep acquirers and mother earth in general and now this new headache of being dubbed the fountain head of wide spread air pollution. 
 
A comprehensive restructuring of the agricultural economy is required if denizens of Delhi and north India don't want to choke to death.

Here’s how Delhi’s pollution
rise during the winter can be curbed

The <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> administration appears to be making India's farmers a key plank in the upcoming budget, just ahead of the country’s general elections. According to reports, it plans to give the country’s farmers cash handouts in the form of direct transfers as opposed to subsidies. It's a bold move that follows months of farmer protests and an agrarian crisis in the country. It is expected to benefit an estimated 146 million farmers, according to a report from <keyword id="6354731" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-bank-of-india">State Bank of India</keyword> (SBI). The estimate follows media reports that the government has also decided against another series of loan waivers in its upcoming interim budget. Instead, the government may opt to provide income support and interest-free loans to the farmers. Why cash transfer? On surface, the cash transfer scheme makes fiscal sense as it would help plug leakages in the transmission of subsidies. But there are a number of questions, not least of which is how feasible the scheme will be. How much does the government currently spend on subsidies and support for farmers? The government currently subsidised <keyword id="495738" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="crop-insurance">crop insurance</keyword>, interest on farm loans and fertilisers. As per a report published by the State Bank of India, the central government’s most recent budgetary allocation to subsidy and farmer support schemes totalled around ₹981 billion - which is roughly 2.9% of India’s GDP. With an estimated 146 million farmers who benefit from these subsidies, the cost per farmer comes to anywhere between ₹5,335 and ₹10,162 annually. The lower figure going to someone who avails of one scheme and the higher figure going to someone who benefits from all three - crop insurance, interest subsidies and fertiliser subsidy. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
	
 
 
	
 
	
 <div type="image" title="Table" msid="67657044" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Estimated government subsidies to farmers&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>























 That figure assumes that out of a total of 146 million farmers (as per Agriculture Census 2015-16), only 35% avail of crop insurance, 45% have bank accounts to avail of interest subsidies and 90% of all farmers receive fertiliser subsidies in some form or the other. Will all farmers get cash transfers? No. Landless farmers, who till someone else’s land, will be left out of the scheme. And that’s a high number in India. 56% of India’s rural households do not own any land, according to the last socio-economic caste census. Many states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala &amp; Tamil Nadu are yet to fully digitise land records. This will make it tougher to ensure that cash transfers reach all intended beneficiaries. SBI’s report estimates that the government may be able to reach up to 100 million farmers. How much farmers get via direct cash transfer, if approved? If the cash transfers reach 100 million farmers, the budgetary allocation will have to be around ₹1- ₹1.2 trillion. That works out to an average individual payment ₹10,000- ₹12,000 per farmer. At this cost, there will be no additional financial burden on the government. What is the flip side? Even assuming that the cash transfers reach a 100 million farmers, as per the SBI estimate, it leaves out at least one third of the beneficiaries who were availing one kind of subsidy or the other. This is likely to backfire unless the government is able to fine tune the system and make it efficient and more inclusive sooner than later.

Explained: The cost of giving India's farmers cash instead of subsidies

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image">AFP</div></div>A wild tiger is believed to have claimed its eight victim in northern India, even as forest officials attempt to track down and kill the animal, an official said Wednesday.
A tiger mauled and killed a farmer while he was working in the fields on Sunday in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh state, senior state wildlife official Roopak Dey said.
"Our officers are on the ground. There are shooters waiting to spot the tiger and kill it. As the tiger is master of concealment, we need to be patient," Dey said, confirming the latest death.
The farmer's wife was quoted in local media as saying the tiger dragged her husband to a nearby forest before killing him.
A local said "the tiger has been managing to hide itself in the cane fields. It is getting difficult to trap or kill it."
Officials suspect the same tiger has killed all eight victims since the first death was reported in the state on December 29, although Dey said this was impossible to confirm.
The tiger is thought to have strayed from the Jim Corbett National Park, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Bijnor, a popular tourist attraction and home to some 200 tigers.
The death comes after forest officials in southern India last week shot dead a tiger suspected of killing three people, ending its three-week reign of terror which forced dozens of schools to close.
Forest workers spotted and shot the female tiger in a tea plantation in Tamil Nadu state after trying to trap it with the help of elephants and sniffer dogs, motion detection cameras and cages laced with meat.
Conservationists blame towns and villages encroaching on tigers' natural habitats for the deadly incidents occasionally reported in India.
India is home to some 1,700 tigers -- half of the world's rapidly shrinking wild tiger population -- but has been struggling to halt the big cats' decline in the face of poachers, international smuggling networks and loss of habitat.
The country has seen its tiger population plummet from an estimated 40,000 when it gained independence in 1947.
<div>
Copyright (2014) AFP. All rights reserved.
</div>

A Man-Eating Indian Tiger Is Suspected Of Killing Its Eighth Victim

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The death of a pregnant elephant who died in <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> after eating a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers is prompting anger in the country.</li><li>It is not known whether the elephant ate the pineapple herself or whether it was fed to her.</li><li>However, local farmers are known for using explosives in fruit to protect their land from wild animals, and officials have said they're launching an investigation into the death. </li><li>The <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> sparked outrage in the country as everyone from Bollywood actors to business CEO's have spoken up and demanded justice over the elephant's death.</li></ul>The death of a pregnant elephant in India who died in agony after eating a firecracker-stuffed pineapple has caused outrage in the country. The wild elephant died in a river in Silent Valley National Park in Kerala's Palakkad district on Wednesday after suffering from fatal injuries to her mouth and tongue caused by eating the fruit packed with firecrackers.It is not known whether the elephant, who is thought to be 15 years old, ate the pineapple herself or whether it was fed to her. Farmers in the area are known for using explosives in fruit to protect their land from wild animals, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/05/killing-of-elephant-with-explosive-laden-fruit-causes-outrage-in-india?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other">according to the Guardian.</a>Mohan Krishnan, a forestry officer, apologized for the tragic incident on social media, writing: "With her mouth and tongue destroyed in the explosion, she paced around hungry without being able to eat. She must have been more worried about the health of the child inside her than about her own hunger."The Kerala Forest Department said it would carry out an investigation into the elephant's death and that it would "leave no stone unturned to ensure max punishment to the offenders." One arrest has so far been made.The news of the elephant's death has caused anger across India. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar called the death "heartbreaking, inhumane, and unacceptable", while several political figures and prominent business CEOs have also spoken out.Nearly 1,000 petitions demanding justice for the elephant's health have been launched on social media. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also responded to the news, tweeting: "We want to assure you that your concerns will not go in vain. Justice will prevail." Meanwhile, Hindu nationalists have sought to blame Muslims for the elephant's death. Maneka Gandhi, a member of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claimed the elephant had been fed the lethal fruit in a predominantly Muslim district, 50 miles from where it died."It's murder," said Gandhi, who is a prominent animal rights activist, reported The Guardian. "Malappuram is famous for such incidents, it's India's most violent district. For instance, they throw poison on roads so that 300-400 birds and dogs die at one time."in Hinduism the elephant is is a sacred animal and is considered the representation or the living incarnation of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity riding a mouse.

A pregnant elephant in India was killed by a firecracker-stuffed pineapple and the incident has sparked national outrage

An unexpected dry spell this <keyword id="6358301" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Monsoon">monsoon</keyword> season might prompt the farmers to plant too much, too fast, thus raising fears of lower yields and surging food prices in a mostly impoverished nation. 
	 
	 

	Food prices are a political hot potato in India, where more than a quarter of its population of 1.2 billion people live on a mere 74 cents or less per day. In fact, high food prices have already pushed the country's June consumer inflation to an eight-month high. 
 

	That is why the ongoing dryness in central, western and southern India - key producing regions for cotton, soybean, corn, sugarcane, pulses and rice - is a big cause for worry. Poor output of summer crops would further lift food prices, restricting the central bank from cutting lending rates, crucial to boosting Asia's third-biggest economy. 
 

	"The outlook for inflation over the next few months depends squarely on monsoon rains for the remainder of the season," HSBC said this week. Farm sector accounts for 15 per cent of its economy and given half its farmland lacks irrigation, the monsoons are crucial. 
 

	A heavy downpour early last month had lifted the rain surplus to 28 per cent, raising farmers' hopes of a good June-September monsoon season despite forecasts for the emergence of an El Nino weather pattern. But following the dry spell, rains are now 6 percent below normal, with the deficit as high as 52 per cent in some regions, weather department data shows. 
 "Sowing has nearly stopped due to the dry spell. Even sown crops are under severe stress," said Vikas Deshmukh, <keyword id="6355165" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Agriculture">agriculture</keyword> commissioner of Maharashtra state, India's second-biggest cotton and soybean producer as well as its top sugar producer, to Reuters. 

	Farmers had initially rushed to sow seeds after ample rains, bringing total planting levels to 44.5 million hectares by July 10, up 62 per cent year on year. 
 

	But the higher number does not give a correct picture as monsoon in 2014 was delayed and so was the sowing, said B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors' Association. In 2013, when rains were ample, by this time farmers had planted on nearly 52 million hectares. 
 

	For millions of farmers , where three fifths of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihood, the fate of a single crop can be the difference between life and death. 
 

	Earlier this year, dozens of debt-laden farmers committed suicide after damage from unseasonal rains, and poor summer-crop yields would exacerbate the pain for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government that is struggling to address rural distress. 
 

	"I can sow crops once again when we get rains, but I don't have money to buy seeds," said Narayan Patil, a farmer from Sarve village of Jalgaon district, 400 km north-east to Mumbai, to Reuters. 
 

	For Patil, and several others, the outlook is grim. 
 

	The official forecast remains that this year India could suffer its first drought since 2009 because of El Nino, which can lead to scorching weather across Asia. 
 

	Maximum temperatures in central and southern India are currently up to 6 degree Celsius above normal, hurting crop growth, said Nitin Kalantri, a pulses dealer.
 

	A drop in domestic output could lift overseas purchases of edible oils and pulses by India, the world's biggest importer of both, while limiting its rice and cotton exports. 
 

	"Crop yields are likely to be lower than normal this year even if monsoon becomes active in next few days," said Vandana Bharti, Assistant Vice-President (Commodity) with SMC Global Securities Ltd, to Reuters.

	 
	 
	(Image credits: Indiatimes)

Unexpected dry monsoon spell give rise to
farmer woes

New Delhi, Feb 2 () Farmers' body FAIFA on Sunday sought roll back of the proposal to levy additional duty on cigarettes, saying the hike in tax will have an adverse impact on the livelihood of already struggling tobacco growers.
While presenting the Union Budget for 2020-21, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to increase the National Calamity Contingency Duty (NCCD) on cigarettes, hookah, chewing tobacco, snuff and tobacco extracts and essence.
"The hike in tax is a major set-back to the FCV (Flue Cured Virginia) tobacco farmers who have been fighting torrential and unseasonal rains this year in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
"We did not expect such NCCD hike ..after you (Government) were made aware of our current situation through several representations..," Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) said in a statement.
It is unfortunate that the finance ministry has not even responded to many of FAIFA's representations which were submitted personally by the farmers, it added.
"What more can a legal tax paying FCV tobacco farmer can do? It is a death bed to all the FCV tobacco farmers when trusting and relying on Government is not yielding the required results, whereas unorganised sectors like Bidi industry was free of tax burdens," the association said.
Steep increase in taxes on cigarettes has led to increase in illegal trade, including smuggling of such items.
"Tax increases since 2012-13 have led to a 36 per cent increase in illegal cigarette trade, increasing from 19.5 billion sticks in 2011 to 26.5 billion sticks in 2018," FAIFA noted.
It said that the government has already removed export incentives on tobacco, making Indian produce less competitive in the global market.
"This lack of support from the Government is resulting in reduction in crop size and farmers voluntarily exiting the FCV tobacco cultivation. In this backdrop, the present NCCD hike is levied only on tobacco and it is against the fundamental principles of GST, hence we request Hon'ble Finance Minister to reconsider and withdraw the NCCD hike on Tobacco," FAIFA said. MSS
BAL

Withdraw additional cess on cigarettes: FAIFA

Presenting his third budget, <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> today announced some key new schemes while presenting the <keyword id="3206186" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2016">Union Budget 2016</keyword>. Here are the highlights- 
 
AGRICULTURE

	 
	Stating that agriculture and the security of farmers are a chief area of focus for the government, he went ahead to state that under Fasal Bima Yojana, farmers would have to pay a nominal amount of insurance premium and a highest ever compensation in case of crop loss. 
	To ensure this is done, he has allocated Rs 5,500 crores in the Budget. 
	 
	The allocation to Pradhan Mantri’s Gram Sadak Yojna to be increased to Rs 19,000 crore. 
	 Additionally, to give further income security to the very people who ensure our food security, <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> Arun Jaitley promised to double the income of farmers by 2022. Thus, an amount of Rs 35,894 crore has been set aside for the welfare of farmers this year. 
	The Pradhanmantri Krishi Sinchaai Yojana is thus strengthened and implemented in mission mode. 
	 
	 
	LPG GAS CONNECTION FOR BPL FAMILIES 
	 
	Jaitley also announced launching another initiative to provide cooking subsidy to BPL families so as to rid them from the adverse effects of chura cooking. 
	 
	He explained that the government would provide a LPG connection to families in the name of the woman members. A sum of Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated to meet the initial cost of providing the LPG connection. According to the Finance Minister, approximately 1,50,00,000 BPL houses. 
	 
	The scheme is expected to continue for more than two years and will cover atleast 5 crore houses. 
	 
	This will not only ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country but will also improve women’s health and provide employment in supply chain of the cooking gases for the youth in rural areas. 
	 
	 
	DIGITAL LITERARY SCHEMES 
	 
	As part of the government's increased rural push, Jaitley also launched two new digital literary schemes for rural India. 
	 
	 
	SWACCHH BHARAT ABHIGYAN 
	 
	Additionally, Rs 9000 crore has been allocated for Swacchh Bharat Abhigyan in a bit to put an end to open defecation. 
	 
	 
	HEALTH INSURANCE 
	 
	There’s also the health protection scheme which guarantees a health cover of Rs 1,30,000 for senior citizens. There will be an additional topup of Rs 30,000 per family and 300 generic drug stores to be opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadi Yojana. 
	 
	 
	STANDUP INDIA 
	 As far as Standup India is concerned, Jaitley has allocated Rs 500 crore to ensure <keyword id="107737" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Entrepreneurship">entrepreneurship</keyword> to ST/SCs and women. He wants them to be job-givers and not seekers. Under this, two projects will be promoted ber bank per branch per category. 
	 
	“On the occasion of B.R Ambedkar’s 125th anniversary, we must ensure that this must be the year of <keyword id="352701" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Economic-Development">economic development</keyword> for ST/SCs,” he said. 
	 
	 
	NATIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT MISSION 
	 
	Also, under the National Skill Development Mission which has imparted training to 76 lakh youth, 1500 multi skill-training institutes would be set up, Jaitley announced. 
	 
	Under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, the aim would be to skill 1 crore youth in the next 3 years. 
	 
	BI VIEW: In times of distress, the Modi government turned to rural India. The cooking subsidy, digital literary scheme is bound to make a statement, so is the push for farmers' welfare in light of the drought and farmer suicides. Additionally, after Rohith Vermula's tragic death that captured the appetite of Indian citizens, encouraging entrepreneurship for SC/STs is undoubtedly a welcome change. 
	 
	Image credit: PIB India

Budget 2016: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's big scheme announcements focus on rural India, agriculture and SC/STs

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Narendra+Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> taunted the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Congress">Congress party</a> in the Rajya Sabha, saying it is above criticism like death. 
 Modi equated the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> with death and said no one criticises Congress as no one blames death. 
 
"Death is a blessing. It's above criticism. No one criticises death. People say someone died of cancer, he died of old age. The cancer and old age is blamed but not the death. Sometimes I feel Congress is also blessed (like death), whenever we criticise Congress, media says opposition is under attack," Modi said. 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		When we criticise the Congress, it is reported as - criticism on Opposition, not criticism on Congress. Congress never gets a bad name: PM
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707486169525649408">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
He hit out at Congress saying, “Today you are looking at my work through a microscope. Wish you had used even binoculars on yourself.” 
Meanwhile, Modi listed out the achievements, schemes and initiatives taken up by his <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bjp">BJP-led NDA government</a>. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Let us pass those bills passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give impetus to India's progress: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in Rajya Sabha
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707488449306054656">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
Modi said his government focussed on three aspects-Transparency, Accountability and Decentralisation-for good governance. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		We have focussed on policy-driven governance and given an importance to transparency: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in the Rajya Sabha
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707489151260565505">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
He mentioned about his schemes including, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sanitation">sanitation</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=education">education</a>, those related to farmers and agriculture, banking, etc and praised his own government. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Cleanliness is becoming a mass movement. For first time Parliament debated on it. Govt may be criticised but issue is being discussed: PM
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707497796836790272">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		The biggest beneficiaries of MUDRA bank are SC/ST, OBC communities and women: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in the Rajya Sabha
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707495131461623809">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Effective or last mile delivery is what we are working on: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in the Rajya Sabha <a href="https://t.co/Iy8hu3Nre5">https://t.co/Iy8hu3Nre5</a>
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707491763741544449">March 9, 2016</a> 
	&#xa0;</blockquote>

Narendra Modi sneers Congress in Rajya Sabha, goes gaga over his own govt’s schemes and proposals

<ul><li><keyword id="6419807" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsanto">Monsanto</keyword>’s patents on two cotton variants, Bollgard and Bollgard II, were found to be unenforceable under India’s Patents Act. </li><li>The American biotechnology giant has been locked in a three-year legal feud with its Indian licensee, Nuziveedu Seeds, over unpaid royalties. </li><li>An arm of India’s <keyword id="6355165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="agriculture">agriculture</keyword> ministry will now determine the royalty rate for Monsanto’s seeds- a move that could scare off other foreign companies. </li></ul> The Delhi High Court, on March 11th, ruled that Monsanto’s patents on two genetically modified (GM) seed varieties of cotton - Bollgard and Bollgard II - could not be enforced, thereby concluding a three-year legal feud between Monsanto and its Indian licensee, Nuziveedu Seeds, over unpaid royalties. The ruling effectively terminates the American biotechnology giant’s intellectual property rights to <keyword id="80549" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="BT-Cotton">Bt cotton</keyword> technology in India. The court explained that under India’s Patents Act of 1970, plant varieties and seeds cannot be patented, and that royalties or “trait fees” on Monsanto’s cotton seeds, which are modified to increase resistance to the bollworm pest, would instead be determined by the Protection of Plant Varieties and <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers">Farmers</keyword>’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), an agency of the ministry of agriculture. This is in line with the government’s rationale that while Monsanto has patent rights to the Bt cotton gene, once it is introduced into a plant seed, the product becomes subject to the Plant Varieties Act instead of the Patent Act. Despite the cancellation of a licensing agreement with Monsanto in late 2015 over the alleged non-payment of royalties, Nuziveedu Seeds and its subsidiaries had continued to sell Bt cotton seeds. However, in a <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/AcYyKVDiJapVuSfQ6zvh2L/Delhi-HC-Monsanto-termination-of-Nuziveedu-Seeds-sublicenc.html">separate case last year</a>, the Delhi court ruled that Monsanto’s termination of the agreement was illegal since it had violated its contractual obligations by charging a royalty fee that was higher than that stipulated by the government. With the latest ruling, Monsanto’s claims against Nuziveedu for unpaid royalties have been waived because its patents are invalid. It will now have to settle for the rates decided by the government. A huge setback This is a significant blow for Monsanto, the world’s largest seed producer, as it currently licenses its seeds to nearly 50 domestic companies through its local joint venture with Mahyco Seeds Ltd. It could, in all probability, lead to the company’s complete exit from India. In March 2016, the government slashed royalty fees on Bt Cotton by 74% to ₹43 per packet, and reduced the maximum sale price of these seeds to ₹800 for a 450 gram packet, from as much as ₹1000 earlier.The move followed pressure from the National Seed Association of India (NSAI), an industry body, that argued that the prices were too high and that the seeds weren’t as effective at resisting the bollworm as originally promised. In response, Monsanto said it would have to reconsider bringing new seed technologies to India and rethink its investments in R&amp;D. It made good on this threat <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Monsanto-stops-release-of-new-Bt-cotton-tech/article14589157.ece">the following August</a> by stalling the release of a newer cotton strain. It also <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/monsanto-exits-cotton-seeds-business-in-india/articleshow/60415874.cms">sold off its cotton seeds business</a> in India in September 2017 to Tierra Agrotech, a seed producer based in Hyderabad. Monsanto is a company everyone loves to hate - with good reason. It first introduced its GM technology in India in 1995, promising to transform farmers’ livelihoods and maximise yields. In the ensuing decades, the company’s Bt cotton seeds completely took over India’s cotton cultivation. While yields have increased significantly, Monsanto has long been accused of overcharging farmers for its seeds, especially given the fact that their ability to resist pests diminishes with time. The high cost of seeds and royalties left thousands of farmers in a vicious cycle of debt, which inevitably led to many suicides when crops failed. As a result, the government was forced to start regulating Bt cotton prices in 2006. Adverse effects Hence, the Delhi High Court’s ruling can be seen as a moral reckoning on Monsanto. But it also has wider implications. Yes, it will reduce prices for farmers, given that seed licensing companies pass on the royalty costs to them, but it could prove to be the death knell for <keyword id="94495" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Innovation">innovation</keyword> in the agriculture sector - something that will hurt farmers in the long run. In essence, Indian seed producers are being allowed to distribute products enhanced by foreign technologies without having to pay sufficient licensing fees. Last month, the government cut royalty fees again, to ₹39, and set the maximum price of cotton seeds at ₹740 for the next sowing season. High-yielding varieties have helped India become one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of cotton. If patent and pricing rights aren’t adequately protected, a host of companies will be discouraged from selling and investing in the research and development of genetically modified seeds in India. Ever since Monsanto stopped introducing new seed variants in 2016, the trade in illegally-produced copies of genetically-modified seeds <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/monsanto-vs-illegal-seeds-illegal-ones-selling-at-1-7x-show-farmers-value-technology/1077508/">has flourished</a>, owing to unmet demand from farmers. As things stand, Monsanto has been given three months to register its Bt cotton seeds under India’s Plant Varieties Act, which will make it eligible to receive the trait fee that is determined by the PPVFRA. However, it will cede all rights to the genetic material in the seeds. Alternatively, the company could challenge the Delhi High Court’s ruling in the Supreme Court. Either way, yesterday’s ruling and the continued clampdown on trait fees would have already made other companies wary of making further investments in India, lest they be treated like Monsanto. Image source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paxta11.jpg" data-type="tilCustomLink">Wikipedia/ CC BY-SA 4.0/ S_Aziz123</a>

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