KOHIMA, Sept 16: An inter-Ministerial Central Team, led by S C Gargh, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture, is visiting Nagaland to assess and take stock of the prevailing drought-like situation in the State.

Union Minion of State for Agriculture K V Thomas had summoned the representatives of coffee growers to New Delhi to discuss the problems of growers recently.

Interacting with the delegation, he said that Central Government wants to respond to their problems in an effective manner and even plans to find suitable solution for yellow leaf disease affecting arecanut and erosion of fertile soil.

Though Governments in India are elected for a five-year term, the first few months set the tone and provide early hints about the course it plans to take.

Even as almost half of the country (399 districts across 12 states) reeled under drought, a week of excess rainfall after three weeks of near normal rainfall across India has revived the hope of the government to recover losses in kharif crop output by further intensifying focus on next rabi crop.

New Delhi: The late revival of monsoon may just have taken the edge off the drought. There has been a sharp upturn in the area under crop cultivation since the beginning of August which bodes well for the rural economy and holds out hope for a better rabi season later this year.

JORHAT

Mumbai Even as the Ashok Chavan government sought financial aid of Rs 15,000 crore from the Central government to tide over the present scarcity situation, the Union agriculture ministry came down heavily on the state government for not spending Rs 446 crore at its disposal for various agricultural schemes. A central team is visiting the state to assess the drought situation.

Drought appears to have relegated the UPA government

UPA mandarins face two mega-challenges in the coming days

Shreekant Sambrani / New Delhi August 29, 2009, 0:25 IST

A toxic brew of subsidies and loan waivers has ensured farmers become dependent upon government dole instead of reacting to market forces, says Shreekant Sambrani.