It emphasises growing less water-intensive crops, fodder during low rainfall and soil testing

The University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) has come up with a contingency crop plan for southern Karnataka to tackle drought. UAS Vice-Chancellor Dr K Narayana Gowda said the contingency crop plan submitted to the State government lays stress on growing alternative crops and cultivating choices that are in tune with rainfall and soil fertility in the region. “The focus of the plan is on south interior Karnataka as the region accounts for a major share of State’s agriculture production. Moreover,

JAIPUR: The state government on Monday extended the status of scarcity affected areas to 3739 villages of 11 districts. These villages were given this status due failed rabi crop but the extension has been given after witnessing deficient rainfall. The relief activities in these districts villages will now continue till August 15, 2012.

Earlier in March, due to failure of Rabi crop 'scarcity affected' was declared in Ajmer, Barmer, Churu, Nagaur and Jaisalmer districts.

The percentage of the earth’s land surface covered by extreme heat in the summer has soared in recent decades, from less than 1 percent in the years before 1980 to as much as 13 percent in recent y

The Sri Lankan government has allocated 3.7 billion rupees to provide relief for the people affected by the current drought weather conditions.

The World Bank (WB) will provide US$ 12.5 million to Bangladesh as grant to support communities in increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The government has declared seven more taluks as drought-hit in the State. With this, the total number of drought-hit taluks has gone up to 149. Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa told mediapersons here on Sunday that as many as 123 taluks were declared drought-hit in the first phase, followed by 19 more taluks in the second phase.

Now, Sagar, Sorab, Joida, Haliyal, Mundagod, Belgaum and Khanapur had been added to the list. On Union ministers Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh’s visit to Bangalore to take stock of drought situation, Eshwarappa said: “They have failed to meet our demands and their apathy disappointed us.

The Union government on Friday granted Gujarat Rs.425 crore for rural drinking water supply and agreed to consider the State’s demand for an assistance of Rs.14,673 crore to meet the acute drought conditions.

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought, headed by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, along with officials, on Thursday held a meeting with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues and officials.

AHMEDABAD: The central government has announced Rs 320 crore aid for drought relief for Gujarat even though there was no demand from the State. Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh came on their own on a two day visit to assess the situation. During a review meeting with the State Government officials the Centre announced that Rs 425 Crore for supply of drinking water would be released immediately.

The ministers also announced 150 day employment under the MNREGA scheme. At present there is a provision for 100 days employment. They further announced that employment under MNREGA would be given not on per person basis but on family basis.

"It is too early to proclaim the 'ice sheet's future doom'" caused by climate change, lead author Kurt Kjaer of the University of Copenhagen wrote in a statement of the findings in Friday's edition

Pouring cold water on Karnataka’s face, the Empowered Group of Ministers on Drought has asked to scale down “huge” fiancial demand from the Centre and come up with a realistic proposal outlining specific requisitions on short term and long term plans.

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar held a a two-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and his cabinet colleagues besides officials in the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore on Thursday.