Centre to come out with new foodgrain policy soon
Amid concerns of falling foodgrain production and farmer suicides in the country, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar will convene a meeting of state agriculture ministers on October 31 and November 1, where contents of MS Swaminathan’s fifth ...
By TNN |
MUMBAI: Amid concerns of falling foodgrain production and farmer suicides in the country, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar will convene a meeting of state agriculture ministers on October 31 and November 1, where contents of MS Swaminathan’s fifth and final report on the National Commission of Farmers will be discussed.
Speaking to the media after inaugurating a jewellery store in the plush Mumbai suburb of Bandra, Mr Pawar said: “Mr Swaminathan himself will make a presentation to the state ministers who, in turn, will provide me feedback after which I will submit a report to the government and the Planning Commission.”
The terms of reference for the commission chaired by Mr Swaminathan were, among other things, to work out a comprehensive medium term strategy for food and nutrition security in the country in order to move towards the goal of universal food security over time; propose methods of enhancing the productivity, profitability, stability and sustainability of the major farming systems of the country; bring about synergy between technology and public policy and recommending measures for enhancing income and employment potential in rural areas through appropriate technology.
Mr Pawar also met the All India Gems & Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) which will submit a proposal to him within a week’s time on hallmarking of jewellery.
While the government mulls increasing the number of hallmarking centres across the country from the current 42, the trade is eager that the government leave certifying the purity of jewellery to them, on the lines of the hallmarking system adopted by Thailand where jewellers self-certify the purity of jewellery sold themselves.
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“An errant jeweller faces a prison term of up to five years,” said a GJF member, adding that “a similar mechanism would work well in India.”Download
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