Finally, the Centre today officially recognised the fact that Green Revolution states need crop diversification.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a letter seeking action against renowned pharmaceutical companies for looting cancer patients by printing inflated maximum retail price (MRP) on medicines, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the state of Punjab on notice.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain issued the notice after taking cognisance of the letter by Faridkot-based Bhai Ghanaiya Cancer Roko Seva Society.

About 20 years after the state introduced drip and micro-irrigation system to check the depleting water table, the Department of Soil and Water Conservation (DSCW) claimed of covering over 25,000 h

The Punjab Government’s proposal to the Centre seeking Rs 5,300 crore for diversification in the agriculture sector has failed to generate any response.

Its double taxation for people or agencies wanting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to transfer forest land into non-forest use in the state, as the cash strapped Punjab government has levied a gre

For farmers of Droli Bhai and Ghal Kalan villages, which are among the biggest in this constituency, the lack of canal water is the biggest issue.

Worst sufferers are the farmers whose land is situated at the tail-end of canals. Seventy-year-old Sukhdev Singh’s farm house is located 50 m from the Kingwa distributary in Droli Bhai village. His seven-acre farm is situated alongside the water body. But this is not helping him in any way. Sometimes water does not even come up to the level of the outlet leading to his fields.

Various kisan unions and health groups today came together to express shock and dismay at the Punjab Government’s decision to sign MoUs with Monsanto in the name of diversification.

Various farmers’ unions, environmentalists, social groups, scientific and health organisations as well as individual intellectuals came together on Friday to oppose the decision of the Punjab Government which recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the multi-national company Monsanto to what was projected as promoting crop diversification.

In a joint statement these organisations claimed that the company had no expertise in diversification. On the contrary, it was averse to any diversification and had a history of monopolistic as well as exploitative practices that favoured monocultures.

With the successful re-auction of 13 sand quarries in four districts, the state government raked in a record Rs 14.90 crore today. The auction has ensured that mining contractors owing allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal wrest control of the mining operations in the state.

Sources said there was little competition during the bidding, which indicated that the bidders had reached an “understanding” among themselves. There was no collusive bidding, because the mining contractors had reportedly decided on how to share the profits in the business once they were successful in the bidding.

Industries Minister Anil Joshi has said Punjab will have a new industrial policy by next month. “Our priority is to stop the exodus of the industry from the state. The new policy will emphasise on the speedy and effective redressal of the problems of industrialists,” said Joshi, who was here today to participate in the annual function of a local school. Joshi said the industrial policies of states like Gujarat, Madhya Pardesh and Haryana were being studied.

“To attract new industrial units and retain the existing ones, the government is also contemplating to offer incentives to industrialists,” the Minister said.