Parthasarathi Biswas
Articles By Parthasarathi Biswas
Explained: How slowdown in auto sector may imperil thousands of units in Pune’s industrial hub
Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Chakra-Talegaon, Ranjangaon and other industrial zones of Pune district are heavily dependent on the automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Pune: Farmers lost over 7,000 milch animals in floods, say officials
The toll is, however, expected to rise as the floodwater recedes and officers of the department are able to assess the situation in interior areas, which are still submerged.
Tomato prices may rise due to low supply, suspension of Pak trade unlikely to affect growers
Tomato growers in the region are not too worried about suspension of trade with Pakistan, which is an important export destination for tomatoes produced in Nashik and Pimpalgaon.
Explained: How swollen Krishna caused mayhem in Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur
Between August 1 and 10, rains battered south-western Maharashtra, and rising water levels in local rivers breached the banks. Areas in Pune, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli saw large areas flooded, houses and roads damaged and lakhs of people displaced.
Double whammy: Birds on the wire
Poultry farmers are facing a crisis from soaring feed costs amid poor demand for eggs and chicken meat.
Soil health cards: Win-win in Kolhapur, falling fertiliser cost, rising yield
Soil health cards were rolled out across the country in August 2015 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it a key agenda item.
‘Ethanol can help sugar industry get out of production glut, economic challenges’
Pramod Chaudhari, executive chariman of Pune headquartered Praj Industries Limited, who has been a pioneer in the ethanol sector, speaks to The Indian Express about the developments in the sector and the way forward
Sugar mills in Marathwada resort to layoffs
Officials at the sugar commissioner’s office said the final figure of the number of mills that will start cane crushing is likely to be known by the first week of August.
Maharashtra: FPCs enter retail with NAFED’s tea
FPCs entering the retail chain marks a significant step for them, because these village-level companies have been only concentrating on the wholesale procurement of foodgrain since their inception.
Sugar industry welcomes unchanged FRP, farmers call it betrayal
The cabinet committee for economic affairs (CCE) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken two major decisions on the sugar sector.
Pune: Activists slam Centre’s move on RTI (Amendment) Bill 2019, say will make law another ‘toothless tiger’
The move that allows the government to fix the term of service of the information commissioners, they said, will end up making the law “another toothless tiger”.
Genetically modified crops: A wake-up call?
Amid a continuing moratorium on all genetically modified crops except Bt cotton, prohibited seeds are now in use across the country. The government knows it, and defiant farmers have started challenging it to do something about it.
Amid lack of rains, Maharashtra farmers opt for short-duration crops
Rains have largely been absent in Marathwada and Vidarbha, the main belts for cotton, oilseed and pulses, where farmers have gone for bajra and maize as alternatives.
Banks sanction Rs 2,559 crore: 49 of 172 Maharashtra sugar mills fail to get soft loans
Alarmed by the inability of sugar mills to pay their growers the basic Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for the cane purchased, the central government had in March announced a soft loan scheme.
Sugarcane dues: A Maha-Glut problem
While the Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra can claim satisfaction for doing everything possible to ensure payment by mills — and before state polls, hardly three months away — that sentiment isn’t really echoed on the ground.
As monsoon gets weak, alarm bells go up in fields
July is a crucial month for farmers as it coincides with the vegetative growth phase of the crops. Any break in rainfall can be detrimental, which might force farmers to go for resowing which entails financial losses.
Maharashtra: Mills to share details of harvesters
Will be shared with health officials; mills to ensure children are inoculated
Meet ‘zero budget’ Vidarbha farmer who was mentioned in Budget speech
Subhash Palekar — came in the Union Budget speech of Nirmala Sitharaman, where she talked of the need to “go back to basics” and “replicate this innovative model (that) can help in doubling our farmers’ income in time for our 75th year of Independence”.
Pune wall collapse: Rampant construction & lack of norms; Newly-merged villages especially vulnerable
The seasonal streams, for the flow of rainwater, have given way to concrete structures and in many cases, retaining walls have been constructed on these streams. “Such areas are especially vulnerable during heavy rains, as they are weakened by flash floods,” said Gabale.
Maharashtra: Divert 25% cane for ethanol production, sugar commissioner tells industry
Millers now say they are looking for long-term commitment from the central government to keep prices steady for at least 10 years, which will allow them to recover investments in new machinery.
