”What has been done to alleviate the crisis  Various schemes have been announced by the Central and state governments but their implementation has been uneven. This is the fourth time in more than a century that India is experiencing back-to-back droughts.It’s a huge story. Nearly 600 people have killed themselves in this region alone over this year. It’s a story about India’s farmers. Over the last year, the prices of a number of pulses (tur, urad, moong and chana dal) have shot up by between 50 per cent and two-thirds, largely on account of a fall in production by nearly two million tonnes from 19. As Mayank Bhardwaj and Ratnajyoti Dutta of Reuters pointed out in their despatch: “.. This indeed has been the perennial complaint of India’s farmers..The writer is an educator and commentator. And even in areas that have irrigation facilities, the situation is far from comfortable. In early-September, water levels in reservoirs were at their lowest in a decade (at 84 per cent of the average). Experts believe that during the current fiscal year the rate of growth in farm output would be negligible — possibly around two per cent. So a farmer will get only the same compensation per hectare as others who may have had far higher yields. Unlike pulses, over the last year and a half, the prices of a wide range of agricultural commodities have come down by proportions varying between 25 per cent and 75 per cent.7 per cent. Other states with deficient rainfall include Haryana (38 per cent) Punjab (32 per cent), two of the country’s most agriculturally prosperous states, besides states like Bihar (28 per cent).

Maharashtra (27 per cent), Kerala (26 per cent), Karnataka (20 per cent) and Telangana (20 per cent).At least 270 out of the country’s 641 districts spread across 18 out of the 29 states have received deficient rainfall in recent months. But this is a blinkered view. In the days before and after the decision, world prices of pulses shot up by 30-40 per cent. Moreover, unlike in countries like the US, in India crop losses are not assessed using satellite imagery or drones but based on estimates made by government officials that are often less than accurate and discretionary. And it’s not getting the kind of media attention it deserves. This is particularly worrisome as winter (or rabi) crops are heavily dependent on water from reservoirs and account for nearly half the total output of rice and wheat.25 million tonnes between July 2013 and June 2014 (the crop year) to an estimated 17. An important reason for the agrarian crisis in the state is the skewed crop pattern is favour of water-guzzling sugarcane.In central Maharashtra, notably in the Marathwada region, the shortfall in rain has been as high as 40 per cent. Simply put, over half the country is currently experiencing drought-like conditions.”

They added that existing insurance plans based on just crop yields or weather damage barely cover one-tenth of the country’s 263 million farmers. Official data put out by the India Meteorological Department and the Union ministry of agriculture for the period between June and September indicate that the shortfall in precipitation from the normal long-term average is 14 per cent across the country. These include cotton, sugarcane, paddy, wheat, potato and rubber. If one looks only at the figures of growth of gross domestic product which tend to make headlines in financial publications, there’s no story for agriculture comprises 16-17 per cent of GDP. Ajay Jakhar, who heads Bharat Krishak Samaj, points out in Farmers’ Forum (October-November 2015): “Sugarcane farmers consume about half of Maharashtra’s water but farm only six per cent of the land. The plan to pay farmers if their income falls below a certain minimum level, calculated by multiplying the average yield in clusters of villages using the minimum support prices fixed by the government, is heavily weighted against the interests of small farmers. The rise in prices does not match the fall in output.In 2014, the rainfall deficiency was around 12 per cent and this resulted in a fall in the total output of cereals by 4. However, the deficiency is as high as 50 per cent in Nagaland and 46 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state where one out of six Indians live. On June 10, the Cabinet approved the import of lentils in “whatever quantity is required”. But when output falls, the government intervenes to protect the consumer (often by subsidising imports) and the farmer loses once again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after having publicly trashed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the Lok wholesale Shower Curtains Sabha on March 4, has agreed to allow additional days of work under the Act to families in drought-affected areas.shortfalls would be based not on individual farmers’ yields but on those across a wider area, influenced by the higher yields of rich farmers able to afford better fertiliser and pesticide. Governments in the past have promoted such policies as political expediency has taken precedence over farmer lives. Further, payouts are made into bank accounts and large numbers of farmers are yet to come under the ambit of the Prime Minister’s favourite scheme for financial inclusion, the Jan Dhan Yojana.  

It’s a story about the ongoing agrarian crisis in the country in the wake of two successive years of drought.38 million tonnes in 2014-15. The picture is pretty grim and here’s why. Whereas inflation on the while has been rather benign thanks to the fall in world prices of crude oil, prices of particular agricultural products have spiked.However, schemes to provide income insurance linked to crop prices has not yet taken off. Diesel and seeds have been subsidised, interventions have been made to save horticultural crops, provide fodder to cattle and allocations under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana have been made flexible. Half the cropped area in the country is dependent on the monsoon. This government, like the earlier one, has failed to get its act together by ensuring that various ministries and departments are able to balance the interests of farmers and consumers. When they produce more, prices fall and they don’t gain.

What’s your gut feeling about Fan Honestly, I don’t know yaar. Will Fan give a closer view about your life, perhaps a more real side to you I am playing a superstar, but we were clear that he shouldn’t be mistaken for Shah Rukh Khan. I also hate it if you take my cap off; I will get it back from you — like I’ve done before. If I was allowed to do Baazigar at 26, anyone is allowed to do anything..Once when I was in Chennai, someone pulled my scarf off and it got entangled around my neck; it really hurt. Nobody speaks without tameez. I had to later call his parents and put him on a train back home. I China Polyester Shower curtain Suppliers have told my bodyguards that any fan below the age of 25 has the right to be stupid, silly and childish. In my house, even without being a strict father, nobody speaks badly to anyone. I have no idea how the film will do. But despite all the trouble, you always go out of your way to meet everyone  I remember in Berlin once, when Kajol and I were there, there were hundreds of people and the security said that you can’t go to them. My neck once started to bleed because someone tried to pull my chain. I have to get my leg in order.  will finish that by the end of this month and take a few months off. It’s like if I really respect you, I can say anything to you. His upcoming film revolves around these faceless, nameless people that make him the star that he is. Besides, youngsters now have a strange way of respecting each other. The young ADs of Maneesh would come and tell me ‘no sir, this shot was not nice’. We are never unkind to girls however, so they can do anything. That’s why half the people think that I am arrogant or Maneesh is arrogant. It was after my shoulder surgery. I said ‘Then I am not coming on the red carpet’. No one will say anything to them.  

Till 25 you are allowed to do right, wrong, good or ugly. I am a big believer of tameez. In fact, I can’t even tell about other people’s films. (smiles). It’s silly being a star if you can’t touch your fans.Tell us about a scary fan encounter. That’s why we called him Aryan Khanna. I don’t differentiate work in terms of how good or bad it is. But how do you handle fans that cross the line I have female fans, so if they cross the line it’s better (smiles). This one kid who had ran from home to see me, climbed the pipe outside my old apartment, to the seventh floor just to see me. My level of excitement for a project however, might differ from an audience’s level of excitement for the same. You hardly get a chance to meet the people who make you. You have to be little sensible. I don’t like it because I am not rude to anyone. If you are not respectful, I can’t take it regardless of how old you are — 100 years or 1 year old. We haven’t locked anything, but for the last 18 months we have been in discussions in Imtiaz (Ali) and Anand (Rai).. If you are offended by that, then you have a problem. Of course, I know how to package a film but sometimes your best efforts don’t convert into a blockbuster. That’s why I don’t wear a scarf, cap, rings or chains at public places anymore. I mean, it’s stupid to throw a bottle on stage to attract attention and say ‘I am your fan’.

When I go on the red carpet, I meet each and every person — sometimes the barricades are broken, but I will say hello to everyone. It was very clear; it is not my life story. The respect is that of equals.How do you deal with all the fan madness when you step out Simple rule. I must have failed more often than not but he had the patience. He has a very different language of cinema for today’s time and a very interesting way of making a film. I can’t tell. Does not obliging a fan also mean loss of a ticket Ticket loss or not, I don’t take to badtameezi nicely. I have kids who are 16 and 18 and they do things which cannot make you angry. You have been working non-stop despite the pain, haven’t you Yes, I need time.

This year looks very interesting for you with the upcoming releases. What was he like on the first day of the shoot Delhiwallas are never scared yaar; they come on the set as if they own it.  Director Maneesh once said that he came to Mumbai only to make a film with you Yes, he keeps saying that he is going to retire after this film.Fans form a big part of Shah Rukh Khan’s identity and raison d’etre  — something he speaks of with much passion. He moved the barrel of his gun in a way that it hit my eye. Apart from Raees and Fan I have Gauri Shinde’s film too. My work is only for them and if you can’t get to see them, touch them, it’s redundant. He is not. Sometimes, not so good enough efforts turn out to be fantastic.Every year is exciting as an actor. I am too close to my films and I cannot tell. Once, I had a cop trying to protect me in Kolkata. I may have had an emotional experience though. After the break, I will get back into the system with my next films. I am not going to hit you or anything but I ignore you. Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar — they have a better understanding of what a film’s business is likely to be. I don’t.  

On a serious note, I have never had a ‘bad’ experience with my fans. So when I asked him about his retirement the other day, he said, ‘nai sir, abhi ek aur karunga’. For me it is about work being exciting. He has a method and is an educated filmmaker. If a film is not exciting, I won’t do it. Seated at his landmark Bandra residence overlooking the sea, he tells us why they mean so much, how he can’t tolerate a badtameez one and much more. There was this one time when my team member Puneet was trying to stop people from coming close to my car at a parking lot and he got hit by a metal rod — his shin was damaged and he walks with a limp till today.. We used the house (Mannat) because there was no bungalow to shoot where crowds could gather.

People are lovely and respect Indians. The supermarket and metro stations etc. Also racism in Russia I feel is less than in some other countries and I have been to about 60 countries. One should look for Russian Stalovaya or Russian Kulinariya — Russian canteens which are very common, cheap and serve good food too. People see Indians, and they know we don’t have a team in the reckoning, and are stunned. . The group will watch two games, one round of 16, and a quarterfinal — with St Petersberg, Moscow and Kazan on their trail. "The impression that India and other countries have is totally negative, the truth is so different. We could not get tickets on the FIFA site, so we got them through a sports travel website, and it was expensive! We are staying at airbnbs in two cities as it’s so much more affordable," pipes Varsha. Varsha is looking forward to seeing Lake Baikal, she adds." A tip for the hungry horses with not too deep pockets. The most important — do a PROPER Russian sauna experience — it takes four hours!" With Stolichnaya flowing, and prices for all pockets, yes the WC will see prices soar, but that’s not stopping die-hard fans.  Sam Arjun, an Emergency Med Evac Specialist for the FIFA games 2018, is based in Sochi, and he stresses, "If you enter Russia, don’t visit just Moscow, do St Petersburg, Volgograd, Rostov on Don, Sochi, etc. We hope to scuba dive at Sochi as well," he says. If you have any problems with travelling, the government has posted city volunteers throughout dressed in blue t-shirts, ready to help. One must visit the central markets to understand the specialities of the city. The trains run on time, and the Russian metro system is way better, the stations are so ornate, you can hold a ball inside! Russia has gone out of the way to roll out the red carpet, for example the FAN ID, you don’t need a visa, I mean how brilliant is that? No other country has had that idea! And who better to do security than Russia? It will be the most secure World Cup. "From Beluga caviar, Stroganoff, Pastila, Stolichnaya and Beluga vodka, ballet at Bolshoi or Mariinsky, the White Nights Festival at St Petersburg, Scarlet Sails, the Moscow underground (its Park Pobedy Station is the third deepest metro station in the world), the Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow, the temple of religion at Kazan, and so much more," every footie fan’s travel itinerary is brimming over! But football is KEY… and being one big family of fervent fans.  

Visit the twin cities of Vladimir-Suzdal, a drive from Moscow, they are gorgeous. From Communist times, their one friend was Indian." Indians are going to be  surprised by this next bit of trivia. Russel Dias, a businessman from Panjim, is off to Moscow and Kalingrad, for the England-Belgium match, and another in the knockout stages.The Nagpals will explore Moscow, St Petersberg, Saransk, Sochi and Nzihny, "We are also going to a resort Safety Grab Bars Manufacturers town, Zavidovo, on the outskirts of Moscow.  These cities hold a rich history., are way superior to what you find even in Europe and the US. The image of Russia — that it is cold and bleak, with grumpy-frowny people — it’s not at all like that. Sam Arjun adds, "Russians have a very rich culture influenced by Soviet glory. The Moscow metro too is a Soviet miracle!" Other proud FAN ID holders are Bengalurean Varsha N. We will get there and plan other things as well,"The fantastic fansApurv and his wife lived in Russia from 1997-99, and dismiss security concerns, saying.  

Excited, yes, Dias says, "We have the hospitality tickets, which include pick-up, drop, drinks at the stadium, costing Rs 60,000.A party waiting to beginRussia and India have always been allies, since the days of Jawarharlal Nehru."The FAN ID was easy, it requires a valid ticket, and everything can be done online. According to Apurv, the cult song in Russian discotheques is Mithun Chakravarty’s Jimmy Jimmy! "You might hear this song as it plays in many nightclubs! Known for its drinking and partying, it will be a blast.  

It is awesome, people from Africa, Latin America, European countries are so fantastic to be with, and such good fun!" he adds. And yes, I would definitely recommend a river cruise. Volgograd is on the banks of the River Volga, and it is the place where the Stalingrad battle took place, a victory in WW2 which saved many nations."Sam agrees, "The country is very safe., business development head and a fitness buff, her husband Neel Lohith, and friends, set for Russia on July 1. And be it Hindi songs, or Raj Kapoor fans, or discos playing Hindi dingchak numbers, there’s Indian sentiment still alive in "Roos"."The fun is in the group stages when people from so many different countries congregate." Nagpal recommends the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, which is stunning and in Moscow, he adds, "The Kremlin is magical, covered with towers and turrets. The so called Banya (saunas) is a life-time experience.