Subsidy on diesel, seeds to be hiked to help farmers

The Central government on Tuesday approved Rs 1,931 crore financial package to five drought-affected states, including Rs 224 crore for Karnataka. The package will be used primarily to ensure supply of drinking water in rain deficient states and improve watershed management for drought-proofing. In addition, subsidy on diesel and seeds will be increased to help farmers tackle the crisis and save standing crops. Import duty on oil mill cake has been waived to improve the feed scenario.

Environmental organisations have come out against the reported move to revive a proposal to set up a mineral water-bottling plant in the buffer zone of the Silent Valley National Park.

When the proposal was made two years ago, the State government and the district administration had objected to it, with the District Collector submitting a report that the plant, planned on the banks of the Karuvarathode, a tributary of the Bhavani, near Mukkali, would affect the water table and cause serious ecological imbalance.

MUMBAI: In some welcome relief to drought-hit areas in the state, good rains in parts of the state has led to rise in water levels in the state.

Mumbai: It’s a flood of money, not water, that’s flowing into Maharashtra’s dam projects.

River water to meet drinking water needs of Chikkaballapur, Tumkur

The State government on Friday finally gave administrative approval for the Yettinahole project that proposes to draw water from the Yettinahole River in Sakaleshpur to meet the drinking water demands of Chikkaballapur and Tumkur districts and some parts of Bangalore Urban. Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishveshvara Hegde Kageri said the project proposes to harness 24 tmc ft from Yettinahole in Hassan district for the drought-prone regions of the three districts at a cost of Rs 8,323 crore.

AMRAVATI: The state government is diverting scarce water resources in the drought-prone Vidarbha region to private thermal power plants.

Daily milk production in the state is seeing a surplus by 28 lakh litre, with drastic rise in contributions from the drought-hit talukas like Jat and Mann leading to a massive production of milk po

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said decision would be taken soon on drought-related assistance demanded by Maharashtra.

Dispur has chalked out 10 models of rainwater harvesting under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for drought-prone areas of the state, where groundwater level has been f