To give a boost to the mechanisation of agriculture and to overcome the shortage of farm labourers, the state government proposed to give transplanters and harvesters at 50 per cent subsidy to either farmers or women's groups for the ensuing kharif for agricultural operations.

Criticism reflects muddled view of commercial banks' functioning The fact that the country's largest bank was forced to withdraw an innocuous internal circular on farm loans only indicates the inability of even well run banks to take independent decisions. A farmer in his field in Punjab.

Potato growers of Jalandhar region plan to install grading machines of international standard to cut cost and increase accuracy of grading of the crop. The growers have approached Holland-based company Allround Nu-Tech for the purpose, Jalandhar Potato Growers Association general secretary Jaswinder Singh Sangha said on Tuesday. "At present, potatoes are graded by hand on the field. The grading machines will not only cut cost, which is Rs 1 per kg, but also ensure accurate grading,' he said after attending a demonstration of the machine by the company.

Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE), has announced that its entire sub 100 HP range of Massey Ferguson and TAFE tractors, barring one model, has been made compatible for use with bio diesel. These tractors can use the current 5% blend of regular diesel with diesel produced by esterising vegetable oils obtained from Corn, Jatropha, Rape Seed, etc. Since use of edible oil for this purpose is banned in our country, oil from Jatropha is normally used for making bio diesel which is a green fuel, bio degradable and environmental friendly.

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh indicated during last July's G-8 Summit in St Petersburg that he wanted to force the pace of Indo-Russian cooperation. The PM remarked that, "The economic pillar of our strategic relationship needs attention, as at present it is not as strong as it should be.' He, and others, have also noted that both economies have been logging up good rates of growth, something that could lay the foundation for more substantive economic cooperation between the two.

Engines and construction equipment maker Greaves Cotton is planning to leverage the current buoyancy in demand for engines from the agricultural sector.