Zia Haq reports on public policy, economy and agriculture. Particularly interested in development economics and growth theories.
Articles by Zia Haq
RBI hikes key rate to 6.50% to tamp down sticky core inflation
Central banks typically raise the repo rate – the interest rate at which commercial banks borrow money by selling their securities to the Reserve Bank – to shrink money supply in the economy
Costlier wheat hits staples; flour prices get 22% higher
In 2022, India was hoping to harvest 110 million tonne of wheat, but a prolonged heatwave around reaping time crimped output to 106.84 million tonne, about 2.5% lower than the preceding year’s 109.59 million tonne.
Published on Feb 07, 2023 12:12 AM IST
FCI back to off-budget borrowing to meet food subsidy, other costs
Off-budget funding refers to the practice of financing an expenditure that is not fully accounted for in budgetary allocations. It often helps the government to lower the fiscal deficit number.
Updated on Feb 06, 2023 05:46 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Union Budget: Disappointed by no increase in PM-Kisan payouts, say farmers
The agriculture sector, the country’s largest employer, has grown at an average annual growth rate of 4.6% in the last six years, according to data from the annual Economic Survey 2022-23.
A budget of striking catchphrases
Short and popular names and titles of government initiatives, aimed at the public, have been a trademark of the Narendra Modi government
Published on Feb 01, 2023 04:59 PM IST
Union Budget 2023-24: Digital push, supply-side incentives for agriculture
Budget 2023: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will set up agriculture accelerator fund to nurture start-ups in rural areas and build an open-source, digital public agriculture infrastructure
Updated on Feb 01, 2023 04:47 PM IST
Budget unveils revamped credit lifeline for MSMEs
Overall, the finance minister allocated a record ₹22,138 crore for the MSMEs ministry in the Union Budget 2023-24
Published on Feb 01, 2023 04:46 PM IST
Record wheat crop likely as acreage up
Robust wheat output, sown in November and harvested in March-April, will ease the current shortage and help put a lid on record cereal inflation
Published on Jan 28, 2023 11:06 PM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Govt to present digital budget, with features
On the updated app, made by the National Informatics Centre under the supervision of the department of economic affairs, users will be able to download the budget in PDF format and access specific data through dropdown fields.
Published on Jan 26, 2023 11:52 PM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Farmers’ share in agri credit rises in positive sign for sector
In 2003-04, the share of investment credit in total agriculture credit was 37% , which went up to 42 % in 2005-06 during the previous UPA regime. However, it fell to 25% in 2013-14.
Updated on Jan 19, 2023 04:51 AM IST
Zia Haq and Saubhadra Chatterji
Cold weather likely to help India reap bumper harvest of wheat and mustard
Robust winter crops, which account for half of the country’s annual food output, will help to cool food inflation and replenish stocks after a year of tight supply of rice and wheat
Updated on Jan 11, 2023 05:10 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Govt hopes to trim fertilizer and food subsidies
The upcoming Union Budget 2023-24 is likely to set aside approximately ₹3.
Updated on Jan 10, 2023 03:37 AM IST
Govt likely sell 2.1 million tonnes of wheat in open market
The Union government is likely sell 2.1 million tonnes of wheat from its stocks in the open market at a federally determined price in a move aimed at easing supplies of the staple and controlling high cereal inflation, two government officials said, requesting anonymity.
Published on Jan 06, 2023 11:40 AM IST
Budget to pitch coarse grains as means of sustainable cultivation
Union Budget 2023-24 may focus on coarse grains or millets as means of sustainable cultivation that can raise income of small farmers in arid regions besides providing food and nutritional security globally, people familiar with the development said.
Updated on Jan 03, 2023 11:52 PM IST
Rajeev Jayaswal & Zia Haq, New Delhi
India set to sign deals to secure fertiliser imports
Indian fertiliser and chemical companies have also accelerated investments in several mineral rich North African nations so as to hedge against price spirals and volatility.
Updated on Jan 04, 2023 02:33 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Free PDS scheme is likely to yield political dividend but may bloat subsidy bill: Experts
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana scheme will be stopped, the cabinet decided last week. Instead, nearly 813 million beneficiaries will receive free food through the public distribution system under the National Food Security Act 2013.
Published on Dec 31, 2022 10:38 PM IST
Zia Haq picks his favourite read of 2022
India saw its hottest summer ever on record this year, which scientists at Pune’s Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have, based on evidence, attributed to global warming
Centre cracks down on diversion of subsidised fertilisers
The Union fertilisers department has clamped down on large scale illegal diversion of subsidised fertilisers meant for farmers to industrial units, busting several interstate networks in recent weeks.
Published on Dec 23, 2022 02:58 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Centre denies fertiliser shortage; farmers flag scarcity of key nutrient
Reports of shortages, particularly of non-urea-based di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), come in the middle of a busy rabi or winter-sown cropping season, which accounts for nearly half of the country’s annual food output, ranging from wheat to lentils and oilseeds.
Updated on Dec 22, 2022 04:58 AM IST
Centre wants transparency: Sitharaman on freebies
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday referred to freebies or sops by various states, and said: “All we (the government) want is transparency and compliance with statutory fiscal rules
Published on Dec 22, 2022 12:37 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Key states fare poorly on social progress: PM-EAC report
Traditionally backward large states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, fared poorly, while centrally administered territories such as Puducherry and Lakshadweep, and northeastern states, topped most basic indicators
Published on Dec 21, 2022 12:29 AM IST
Parl to host an all-millets feast, PM to take part
The feast will be an all-millets affair and MPs from all parties will sit down to sample a variety of cuisine prepared from indigenous millets, such as ragi (finger millet), jowar (sorghum) and bajra (pearl millets).
Updated on Dec 18, 2022 04:40 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Enough wheat to meet all requirements, buffer norm: Govt
The government’s annual wheat purchases for 2022-23 dipped to a 15-year low this year to 18.79 million tonnes, compared to 44 million tonnes purchased in the previous year, due to lower output.
Published on Dec 17, 2022 11:12 PM IST
Wheat stocks slip below buffer norms, govt in RS
According to norms fixed by the government, wheat reserves between Oct 1 and December 31 need to be maintained at 20.5 million tonnes
Updated on Dec 17, 2022 04:18 AM IST
Govt says 86 cases against farmers withdrawn; unions say 8k pending
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a platform of farm unions protesting the laws, had agreed to withdraw their year-long agitation after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on November 19, 2021 that the three laws to liberalise agricultural markets would be scrapped.
Updated on Dec 17, 2022 04:20 AM IST
Rabi area rise boosts bumper crop hopes, but warm winter a concern
The total cultivated area under wheat, the main winter staple currently in short supply, jumped 25% as on November 10, compared to the corresponding period of last year, latest official data showed
Updated on Dec 12, 2022 04:11 AM IST
Key part of Congress' Himachal success to be used in other state polls
The NPS was brought during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government and rolled out on January 1, 2004. When the Narendra Modi government came to power, it offered tax benefits on the scheme to make it popular
Updated on Dec 12, 2022 09:11 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji and Zia Haq
‘Paltry’ insurance payouts irks rain-affected farmers, Centre denies claims
Farm-insurance claims have risen due to extensive crop damage caused by extreme weather conditions this year, but some farmers are angry at being given a pittance as compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
Updated on Dec 07, 2022 03:38 AM IST
Zia Haq, New Delhi
Fertiliser, food subsidy set to touch record level
The country has penciled in a higher outgo as rising international gas prices and a free food scheme bloated federal subsidies, which comprise a tenth of the total government expenditure.
Updated on Dec 03, 2022 04:09 AM IST
India’s second quarter GDP growth slows to 6.3%
India’s economic growth slowed down to 6.3% in the July-September quarter, marginally higher than the 6.2% forecast by economists in a Reuters poll for the quarter
