news today - 11th Jun

NEWS

• Pranab Mukharjee - Right to reprocess spent fuel is necessary and non-negotiable for India. Finalisation of 123 agreements. Indo-Us civilian nuclear cooperation. US should not transfer its problems into India.
• CSIR Director General - P. Ramaswami
• Advanced sesmic Laboratory at chennai to develop quake resistant buildings.
• Atomic Energy Commission chairman - Anil khodkar said indian nuclear program is fool proof.
• Moreh in Myanmar is in news. Naxalite menace vs Salwa judum.
• Chicken Guniya Viral fever in Kerala

SPOTLIGHT

• Wheat imports and Food Security

• Revised estimates of Wheat production : 73.6 MT
• We are already in trouble regarding the Wheat production. In the last seven years, there is decline in the wheat production from 1999 (76.5 MT).
• Reasons : We have lower productivity due to soil health. only one variety of the Wheat is used
• through out the Punjab. However,
• To the mandis are not problem, but farmers are not selling to Govt because of the low msp by the Govt. So less inputs into the PDS. Because of the higher prices offered by private parties.
• Because of the Agriculturing marketing act. MSP will hardly meet the expenses of the production.
• Entire country's production of wheat is stagnant from last 6 years. But in these years, we have increased our pop by 14 crores. So food crops are scarce.
• The govt policy of diversification into cash crops or water intensive crops. Are not attractive
• for the farmers. they want more incentives from the Govt.
• Farmers Demands:
• To link the MSP with the index of the prices. Unhappy about the MSP. to be at 1150 ( by farmers). They can produce more wheat if they can give us right cost. And also with 6h pay commission ,they also want to take into account the income of the farmers as well.
• At NDC, National Food Security mission ( Rice,Wheat ,Pulse) - What is the primacy ?
• States having their own agriculture policies and Area-specifi schemes and district specific schemes. 25000 cr allocated to States to make specific schemes
• 850rs/ Quintal. - Neglecting the agronomic - pay commission link to
• So much of imbalance in the fertilizer consumption. Need for Site specific nutritient managment.
• It has the ability to improve the productivity of the land huge land. improving the productivity from 3.3 tonnes to the worlds best levels of 6.5 to 7 tonnes/hector. --> need for extension levels.
• Normal 1:2.4 is required. Now its 1:35 ..
• Failure of the extension services - if farmers are not using the inputs in the suggested ratio it will represent the failur of extension service. Innovativeness shown by private players are not shown by the universities and KVKs to extension. Entire extension system by every state is collapsed. Overdrawal of water is also a problem.