The total sown area as on 28th July 2017, as per reports received from States, stands at 791.34 lakh hectare as compared to 765.79 lakh hectare at this time last year.

Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Commerce & Industry, graced the 51st convocation of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, as the Chief Guest on 28th July, 2017, at New Delhi. Smt. Rita Teaotia, Chairman, IIFT and Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, presided over the function.

On the basis of the result of the written part of the Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination 2017 held by the U.P.S.C. in May, 2017

Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, informed that the Government has taken a number of measures to curb malpractice of using spurious/cheap oil in lieu of neem oil in neem coating of urea, which are as follows:-

Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, informed that during last year, there were no reports of alleged diversion & smuggling of subsidized urea for non-agricultural purposes. Also, the Minister states that in the current year, no report of diversion & smuggling has been received from any State Government.