Government sees record 284.83 MT food grain output in FY18
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Food grain production in the country in 2017-18 crop year will be record 284.83 million tonne (MT) as per the fourth advance estimates of the Agriculture Ministry released on Tuesday, registering a rise of 9.72 MT over the last year's total production.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said rice output would be 112.91 MT and that of wheat 99.70 MT, as compared to 109.70 MT and 98.51 MT, respectively, in 2016-17.
"I am happy to share the 4th advanced estimates of food grain production for the year 2017-18. The country witnesses record food grain production estimated at 284.83 million tonnes," Singh said in a Tweet.
The Minister also said that horticulture production in 2017-18 would be 306.81 MT in 2017-18 as against 300.64 MT in 2016-17.
In 2016-17, the total food grain production stood at 275.11 MT.
As per the estimates, the country will also produce 46.99 MT of coarse cereals, 28.72 MT of maize, 25.23 MT of pulses, 11.23 MT of gram and 3.56 MT of urad (split black gram).
Production of tur (arhar or pigeon pea) is expected to be around 4.25 MT this year.
On year-on-year basis, production of coarse cereals this year will be higher by 5.59 MT, while pulse output would be higher by 2.10 MT.
Total oilseeds production during 2017-18 is estimated at 31.31 MT, showing marginal hike compared to that last year.
Soyabean production is likely to be 10.98 MT of soybean, 9.18 MT of groundnut, 8.32 MT of mustard and rapeseed, and 1.57 MT of castor seed.
Total production of sugarcane this year is expected to be 376.90 MT as against 342.04 MT in 2016-17.
As per the estimates, production of cotton would be 34.89 million bales (each of 170 kg), which is higher by 2.31 million bales than the production of 32.58 million bales in 2016-17.
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Karnataka govt to establish Gig Workers’ Welfare Board
Bengaluru, Apr 3 (PTI): The Karnataka government decided to establish a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office said on Thursday.
The decision was made following a discussion between Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Rahul Gandhi inquired about the timeline for formulating the Gig Workers' Welfare Act, which he had promised during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and the elections.
"The Karnataka government has decided to establish a Gig Workers' Welfare Board to ensure the well-being of workers employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Uber, and others," the statement said.
It further stated that a five per cent cess would be collected from the concerned companies, while the state government would provide the remaining funds required to support welfare schemes for gig workers.
"A comprehensive bill covering all aspects of gig workers' welfare will be prepared and presented before the state cabinet for approval," the statement added.
Three gig worker representatives—Rakshitha Dev, Sheikh Salahuddin, and Nikhil Dev—were also invited to the meeting.
They appreciated the government's initiative and expressed hope for improved working conditions.
State ministers Santosh Lad, Priyank Kharge, and M B Patil were present at the meeting.
Santosh Lad was quoted as saying that Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier advocated for gig workers' rights during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, welcomed the eight-point proposal prepared by the Labour department.
Rahul Gandhi also emphasised the need for swift implementation to safeguard gig workers' interests.
"The Karnataka Labour Department has already introduced three key bills—covering workers' gratuity, cinema workers' rights, and now, gig workers' welfare. The unorganised workers' sector has lauded the government's efforts and extended full support for this progressive move," the statement quoted Lad as saying.
