Agriculture Minister Thummala writes to Nadda, seeks sufficient urea supply for Telangana
In his letter to Union Chemicals & Fertilisers Minister JP Nadda, Nageswara Rao also requested the Centre to enhance allotment of urea from the indigenous units like RFCL from 30,800 MT to 60,000 MT.
In his letter, the agriculture minister said that the state has been witnessing a continuous shortfall between the approved allocation and the actual vessel-based allotment in the imported urea category. 'This persistent mismatch is pushing the state into a distress situation, especially during the critical Kharif season,' he said.
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NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
More Communities In Manipur Join Call For Ending Deal With Kuki Militants, Write To Amit Shah
Imphal/Guwahati: Four influential civil society organisations from different communities in Manipur have for the first time made a united call against extending what they called a "flawed and violated" tripartite agreement signed between 25 Kuki, Zomi and Hmar insurgent groups and the Centre and the state government. While the Meitei Alliance, a global umbrella body of civil groups of the Meitei community, and the Thadou Inpi Manipur, a body that represents the indigenous distinct Thadou tribe, have been asking the Centre to scrap the controversial suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the 25 insurgent groups, two more top civil society organisations of the Naga tribes and other indigenous communities have come forward in demanding the same. The four civil society organisations made a joint representation to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, pointing out that the insurgent groups have been persistently violating SoO ground rules. Broadly, under this agreement, the insurgents have to stay at designated camps and keep their firearms in locked storage, to be jointly monitored with the security forces. They cannot recruit fresh insurgents too. The four civil society organisations, however, alleged these armed groups protected by the SoO agreement"are gravely undermining safety and security of all communities in Manipur." The preamble of the SoO agreement state that KNO and UPF will completely abjure the path of violence and will not engage in violent or unlawful activities like killing, injuries, kidnappings, ambush, extortions, intimidations, carrying of arms in public and imposing of 'tax' or 'fines', the civil society organisations said in their memorandum submitted to Mr Shah. Therefore, it establishes that the purpose of SoO agreement is to maintain law and order, which is a State subject under the Constitution (List II, State List), they said. The other two civil society organisations are the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee, and the Indigenous Peoples' Forum Manipur. The 25 insurgent groups come under two umbrella organisations for the purpose of negotiations - the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) led by the Kuki National Army (KNA), and the United People's Front (UPF) led by the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA). The KNO and the UPF representing all the others have signed the SoO agreement. The SoO agreement is steered by a joint monitoring group (JMC) which also takes a call on whether to extend it or not. Alleged Misuse of SoO Agreement "... On one hand, the SoO agreement states that the Manipur government can terminate and take appropriate action against the KNO and the UPF. In case the groups are found violating the ground rules, the state government on the recommendation of the joint monitoring group may terminate the SoO arrangements and also take appropriate action including use of force against the groups," they said in the memorandum. "However, on the other hand, the SoO agreement establishes a joint monitoring group that includes the very groups responsible for violence - KNO and UPF - who are expected to recommend to the state government whether action should be taken against themselves," the memorandum said, pointing out what they called an inherent flaw in the controversial arrangement. They said the purpose of the SoO agreement is to maintain law and order in Manipur, and it is the state government that should be responsible for maintaining law and order; however, due to the flawed structure of the SoO agreement, the state government is unable to do so. As the SoO agreements are tripartite between the Centre, the state government, and the insurgent groups, and since the armed militant groups have violated the preamble and ground rules of the SoO agreements, the state government officially scrapped the SoO agreements with KNA and ZRA in March 2023 and recommended against their extension in January 2024, the memorandum said. "Therefore, the SoO agreements cannot be renewed or extended unless recommended by the elected state government of Manipur, and not in the current structure and form of the agreements," the civil society organisations said in the memorandum. Corrective Measures The civil society groups suggested the Union home minister to consider these measures: 1. Abrogate SoO agreements as recommended by the last Manipur state government, or establish a popular government or conduct re-election in Manipur to ensure the elected state government can recommend renewal of the SoO agreement. 2. If the SoO agreement is to be renewed, then the structure and framework of the agreement should be holistically reviewed for effective and efficient implementation. 3. Establish an independent and neutral arbitrator in case of conflict of interest under the Constitution. 4. The armed militants who committed acts of violence should be prosecuted according to the law, and if any signatories or members of KNO and UPF are found to be associated directly or indirectly, they should not be protected under the SoO agreement. 5. The SoO agreement should be considered as a mechanism for non-violence and not as a protector of violence. In June, a KNA insurgent was among three people arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly attacking a police post and killing two commandos in Manipur's border town Moreh in January 2024. That was the second time an authority confirmed on record the violation of SoO ground rules by Kuki insurgents in Manipur in the last two years since Meitei-Kuki ethnic clashes began in May 2023. The first official confirmation of the SoO agreement's ground rules violation came from the Manipur Police in September 2024 when three Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) insurgents - all of them residents of Churachandpur district - were killed in a gunfight in Jiribam. They were Seiminlen Khongsai, Haogoulen Doungel (31), and Nehboithang Haokip (26). The Manipur Police in September 2024 also for the first time confirmed the involvement of Meitei insurgent group UNLF (P), which had signed a ceasefire with the Centre and the state, after a UNLF (P) insurgent identified as Baspatimayum Lakhi Kumar Sharma (41) was killed in the Jiribam gunfight. The NIA's June 8, 2025 statement and the Manipur Police's September 8, 2024 statement showed that insurgent groups in Manipur that have signed the SoO agreement have been involved in the Manipur violence. While the authorities have confirmed only two cases of SoO agreement and ceasefire violations in the last two years, both Meitei and Kuki civil society groups accuse each other of hiding the involvement of insurgents belonging to their respective communities in dozens of cases.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Shivraj Chouhan says 5 lakh PMAY beneficiaries in J&K to be provided houses soon
Omar Abdullah and Shivraj Singh Chouhan (ANI photo) SRINAGAR: With chief minister Omar Abdullah sitting next to him, Union minister for agriculture and rural development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said nearly five lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir did not own a house, and they would be allotted one soon. Addressing a press conference, Chouhan said the allotment of 93% of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in J&K had been completed, and the remaining eligible beneficiaries had been identified. 'In a recent survey, five lakh names have been identified as deserving housing. The allotments will be made soon after the verification process,' he said. Under the LG-led administration earlier, Omar had questioned the criteria for identifying the housing scheme beneficiaries in J&K. 'Before allotting land, govt must clarify whom it considers 'homeless',' he had said in July 2023. He had made it clear that he was opposed to the inclusion of those who came to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 under this scheme. J&K parties have in the past accused the Centre of attempting to settle 'outsiders' in Kashmir. Chouhan emphasised that a developed J&K was crucial to PM Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'. He praised the state's initiative, 'Kisan Khidmat Ghar' — a one-stop centre providing farmers access to all agricultural services under one roof. The minister said farmers in the UT who had received land allotments from govt but lacked official documentation would be considered for inclusion under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Govt was also planning to launch the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme soon to ensure that horticulture crops were accurately mapped and included under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, he added. Chouhan expressed satisfaction with the variety of horticulture crops grown in the region, but also raised a critical issue of imported plant materials often turning out to be infected after two or three years. To address this, a Rs 150-crore Clean Plant Centre would be established in Srinagar under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, he said. 'It will focus on clean, disease-free planting material for apples, almonds, walnuts and berries. Private nurseries will also be supported to ensure high-quality, pathogen-free plants are made available to farmers,' he added. Calling 'saffron' a symbol of Kashmir's identity, Chouhan announced that the Centre would establish a tissue culture lab and nursery to boost its production. He said the National Saffron Mission would be revised to suit local conditions, and an expert team of scientists would be formed to improve productivity and reduce losses.
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First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
Delhi govt urges Centre to suspend fuel ban on old vehicles amid strong public backlash
The Delhi government on Thursday urged the Centre's air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles and said it will make 'all out efforts' to resolve issues related to restrictions on the movement of endoflife vehicles on city roads. read more The Delhi government on Thursday requested the Centre's air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles, assuring it would make 'all out efforts' to address concerns regarding restrictions on end-of-life vehicles operating on city roads. In a letter to Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairman Rajesh Verma, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the fuel ban was not practically feasible and posed technological hurdles to implementation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The request was made three days after the ban was enforced in the capital. No overage vehicle was impounded by traffic police or transport department officials on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said there was discontent among people due to the move, and the BJP government stood with them. #WATCH | Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa writes to the Commission for Air Quality Management to place on hold the direction which mandates the denial of fuel to End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles in Delhi He says, "We have informed them that the Automatic Number Plate… — ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2025 The minister also said the Delhi government was trying to find a solution to the problem caused by the ban on end-of-life vehicles that include 10-year-old and older diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that her government will make 'all-out efforts' for the resolution of problems related to the ban on end-of-life vehicles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A 2018 Supreme Court judgment banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal order also prohibits the parking of vehicles aged over 15 years in public places. Gupta said some people are emotionally attached to vehicles if they are gifted by a person close to them. Such vehicles are just keepsakes, and often they are not driven much, she said at a Van Mahotsav programme organised by the Delhi government. About the fuel ban, Sirsa said the government was receiving complaints from people and, as such, has urged the CAQM to reconsider its direction. 'The daily lives and livelihoods of lakhs of citizens are dependent on these vehicles. The sudden denial of fuel supply has disrupted transportation, trade and personal mobility, causing significant inconvenience,' he said. 'We are trying to ensure the vehicles are not banned according to their age, but on the basis of pollution caused by them.' Citing various challenges and problems faced in implementing the ban on refuelling of overage vehicles since July 1, the minister said, 'We have told CAQM that we are not able to implement this.' In his letter to the CAQM chairperson, Sirsa also suggested that a fuel ban on overage vehicles should be implemented across the National Capital Region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He said there are several critical operational and infrastructural challenges in implementing the fuel ban, and the move could even be potentially counterproductive. 'Because of technological inconsistencies of this extremely complex system and lack of integration with neighbouring states, there is public discontent and outcry. In the said circumstances, it is not feasible to implement this system to end-of-life vehicles identified through ANPR cameras installed at petrol pumps in Delhi,' said the minister. He said that automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at most of the fuel stations, but the system is facing problems like glitches, camera placement, sensor and speaker malfunction, which prevent the identification of the overage vehicles without high-security registration plates. The minister said the ban in Delhi will not serve its purpose as owners of overage vehicles may get fuel from NCR cities like Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. The ANPR camera system is also not implemented in the neighbouring states, which will again be an issue when the fuel ban is implemented there. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sirsa, in his letter, listed several steps taken by the Delhi government to combat air pollution, including the implementation of a new pollution under control (PUC) certificate regime to ensure stricter compliance, particularly for out-of-state vehicles. The government is also trying to create a system that sends an SMS to the owners of overage vehicles two to three months ahead to plan a phase-out. 'We strongly urge the commission to put the implementation of its direction on hold with immediate effect till the ANPR system is seamlessly integrated across the entire national capital region,' he said. Sirsa also blamed the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi for enforcing the overage vehicle ban instead of challenging it before the court and the National Green Tribunal. The Opposition AAP said that public pressure forced the BJP government to withdraw the 'controversial' ban, calling it a 'victory of the people' and an example of the government's double standards on the court's orders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a video message posted on X, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said, 'Congratulations to the people of Delhi. The draconian order to seize old vehicles had to be withdrawn by Delhi's BJP government.' With inputs from agencies
