0008 IST, Monday, July 21, 2014 
Agriculture/Energy
Sikkim cashes in on its unique orchidsBy Madhusree Chatterjee
The flowers light up patches of the dense green forests in elegant huddles of yellow, ochre, mauve, powder blue and lemony green on slopes 5,000 feet above sea level. Described as the "natural glory" of the Himalayan state of Sikkim, the Cymbidium orchid is increasingly being projected as the state's flori-sustenance - the heartbeat of its booming flower trade. |
54 cities across India to be developed as 'solar cities'By Sujay Mehdudia/The Hindu
Fifty-four cities across India have received in-principle approval to be developed as ‘solar cities’ by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
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Iraq seeks India's agricultural expertiseBy Prashant Sood
Iraqis will travel to India from April to get trained in irrigation and land reclamation.
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Indian farmers better than scientists: Nobel laureate Joseph StiglitzBy Imran Khan
Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz is impressed by the organic farming practices in the eastern Indian state of Bihar's Nalanda district, terming its practitioners "better than scientists" and calling for their experiences to be researched so that these can be replicated elsewhere.
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Farm doctors on call in IndiaBy Sarita Brara/The Hindu
Agri-clinics set up under an Indian Ministry of Agriculture scheme are providing expert advice to farmers and employment to agriculture graduates
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India's National Water Policy: Managing demand, maximising storageBy Prashant Sood
With India's per capita availability of water having reached what are called "stress" levels, Inida's new national water policy calls for strategies aimed at managing demand and improving storage efficiency, particularly in agriculture, that accounts for over 80 percent of water use.
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Marigolds bloom where ultras once ruledBy Sanjay Ojha/Times News Network
Over the last two years, the eerie silence that hung over the streets of Chatra has been replaced by the din of village folk working their farms. Once a Maoist stronghold where even the police dreaded to tread, the district is now spreading the fragrance of marigold across Jharkhand. |
Indian farm consumers may soon get separate power supply linesBy Sarita C. Singh/Economic Times
The government proposes to lay separate power distribution lines for agricultural consumers, an expensive move that technocrats say is aimed at securing political mileage ahead of the 2014 general elections. |
Reliability precedes affordability in India's power sectorBy Banmali Agarwala/The Economic imes
While there are usually no quick fixes when dealing with infrastructure, some of the problems in the power sector could actually be fixed rather quickly. |
Land grab by MNCs in Africa cause for concern: ExpertsBy Gargi Parsai/The Hindu
The controversy regarding India’s permission to allow foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail and growing “land grab” in Africa by multinational corporations are being closely watched globally by agriculture experts, researchers and donors.
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Agriculture and agro industries remain crucial to India's growing economy. Agriculture and allied sectors contribute nearly 22 per cent of GDP, while about 65-70 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. 
