THIS could be the first major disinvestment the government may undertake after winning the trust vote. According to government sources, it plans to dilute its stake in the two public sector fertiliser companies: Hindustan Fertiliser Corp (HFC) and Fertiliser Corporation of India (FCIL). The companies have been sick for a decade and the government has decided to invite private players to pick up a stake in the company.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa will launch a project this morning to popularize bio manure.
The inauguration of the district level project

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed to launch a programme to encourage the use of carbonic fertiliser in place of the chemical and ensure that 1/3 of the fertiliser subsidy consists of carbonic fertilizer at a following a discussion with the Presidential Task Force manning the Api Wawamu, Rata Nagamu food drive campaign.

PALAKKAD: Subash Palekar, an advocate of natural farming popularly known as

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government blamed the Centre for not supplying required quantity of fertilisers even as Congress demanded an impartial inquiry by an Assembly Committee into the artificial scarcity created for blackmarketing it and the failure of the administration to check this.

The issue cropped up in the Assembly on Thursday through an adjournment motion of the Congress.

Alleging that adequate quantity of fertilisers was available with the State Government, deputy Congress leader Narasingh Mishra said the problem arose because of the absence of a supply channel.

The government has decided to release Rs 22,000-crore subsidy in cash to the fertiliser industry this fiscal, apart from the budgetary allocation of Rs 32,000 crore, chemicals and fertiliser minister Ram Vilas Paswan said here today.

"Total fertiliser subsidy is estimated to be Rs 1.19 lakh crore in 2008-09 while we have made available Rs 54,000 crore cash payment to the industry,' Paswan told reporters here.

DREGAON,

The Kisan Board Pakistan, Punjab Chapter President Khurshid Ahmed Kanju has announced a strong protest demonstration across the Punjab against the increase in fertiliser, diesel and electricity prices on August 7.

According to a press release, the decision was taken during a meeting of the Kisan Board Pakistan held here on Wednesday. Kanju said that the fertiliser dealers and stockist are collecting million of rupees from helpless farmers by selling fertilisers at high rates and that the government has failed to provide any relief to the farmers.

Indian scientists seek clarity on nitrogen emissions if emissions of reactive nitrogen gases (oxides of nitrogen and ammonia, but especially nitrous oxide) ever get hitched to the international debate on global warming, in the form of a