Bengal's tea to be covered by Centre's weather-based insurance
In a circular issued on June 10, Union ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare said: "DA&FW, in collaboration with state govts, commodity boards under the aegis of the department of commerce, as well as the coconut development board and other stakeholders, undertook proactive steps to define scientific term sheets for some plantation crops to facilitate extending accessible, affordable crop insurance coverage to plantation farmers through the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS).
"
The circular asked states to expedite tender processes — for the participation of private players — by June 20 to include different plantation crops under RWBCIS with effect from this kharif season.
Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, president of CISTA, the representative body of the small tea growers, said that this was the first time a weather-based crop insurance was introduced for plantation crops. "It is a long-awaited and welcome move. We have been asking for this for some years," he added.
Follow more information on
Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here
. Get
real-time live updates
on rescue operations and check
full list of passengers onboard AI 171
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
11 minutes ago
- Hans India
Centre's support sought for farmers in capital region
Vijayawada: Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Rural Poverty Alleviation, and Empowerment of Non-Resident Telugus Kondapalli Srinivas has urged Union Minister of State for Rural Development Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar to support the promotion of micro-enterprises and food processing units as a means of sustainable alternative livelihood for small and marginal farmers as well as landless agricultural labourers in the CRDA villages, including Amaravati and Tadepalli mandals of Guntur district. Minister Srinivas, accompanied by SERP (Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty) officials, met the Union Minister in New Delhion Monday and narrated the need for the setting up of micro, medium and small scale industries in the capital region for livelihood. Srinivas said that approximately 29,000 farmers from 22 villages voluntarily contributed around 33,000 acres of land to the CRDA under the Land Pooling Scheme for the development of the state capital. This, he noted, significantly impacted the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers and landless labourers, who are now in urgent need of sustainable alternatives. Many of these families, he added, are members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). Minister Srinivas said the CRDA villages have immense potential to promote micro-enterprises and food processing units, particularly through SHG women in these areas. He recommended the establishment of institutional and skill development training, along with robust forward and backward market linkages.
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
10 old thermal plants to be converted into nuclear power units by 2047
The government has identified 10 old or retired thermal power sites for repurposing them into nuclear power units. The move is part of the Centre's ambitious aim to reach 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047 from about 8.8 GW currently. Shortlisting of the 10 sites across various states is "preliminary" and a final decision will be taken after inspections by a site selection committee, which has members of Nuclear Power Corporation of India , said people close to the development. One of the sites, Wanakbori thermal power plant in Gujarat, has already been visited by a team, one of the persons said. The site contains seven units of 210 MW each. "The list is raw and a first step in the process. The selection of nuclear plants is much more stringent than thermal, so the process will take time," the person said. The site selection process will hinge on the plants' seismicity, water availability, and nearby habitation, the person added. A government official explained that the key benefits of converting old thermal power plants for nuclear energy generation is the existing availability of land, water, and transmission lines. However, factors such as marking exclusion zones of at least 1 km radius around a nuclear plant, with prohibitions for public habitation, will need to be considered before taking a final decision, the official said. The power ministry is evaluating various modes of nuclear power generation, including installing small modular reactors , in the converted thermal units, based on the size and resource availability, the official added. The government's target for 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity is likely to entail deploying various technologies as part of Viksit Bharat 2047 vision . India is aiming to first reach 22 GW nuclear power capacity by 2032.
Hindustan Times
19 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
In push for Master Plan 2041, Delhi govt seeks fresh suggestions from DDA, MCD
Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Monday chaired a review meeting on the long-delayed Master Plan 2041, seeking suggestions from key departments to strengthen the proposed roadmap for the Capital's future development. These plans are designed with a 20-year perspective and serve as a comprehensive framework to guide the city's planned and structured development. Delhi's previous master plan, the MPD-2021, expired around mid-2021. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO) The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had formally approved the Master Plan 2041 on February 28, 2023, and submitted it to the Union housing and urban affairs ministry for notification on April 13. However, the Centre's approval is still pending, stalling implementation for over three years. The Supreme Court in October 2023 sharply rebuked central authorities, noting that the plan missed its April 30, 2023 notification deadline and expressing concern over the city 'keeping everything in limbo'. Delhi's previous master plan, the MPD-2021, officially governed urban development until it expired around mid-2021. The plan is critical to addressing issues such as infrastructure growth, pollution, traffic congestion, and housing shortages in the city. Monday's meeting was the first held on the Master Plan 2041 under the Rekha Gupta-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and was attended by cabinet ministers and senior officials. An official present said the chief minister directed departments such as the DDA and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to submit detailed suggestions for improving the plan. 'Departments have been asked to explain their proposals and justify them with specific reasoning so the government can evaluate the suggestions and act accordingly,' the official said, asking not to be named. Once the suggestions are reviewed, the government will decide whether to re-submit the plan to the Centre or share selected inputs. 'The course of action will depend on the nature and relevance of the feedback received,' the official quoted above added. PWD minister Parvesh Singh described the plan as a long-term vision document for Delhi. 'Today's meeting with CM Rekha Gupta ji and fellow ministers was not just about a document — it was about shaping Delhi's future with a balanced focus on population, infrastructure, environment, and employment,' Singh said in a post on X. The Master Plan 2041 focuses on the regeneration of old areas (unauthorised colonies, urbanised villages), allowing mixed use development, providing affordable rental housing and small format housing, promoting walkability and non-motorised transport, development of green-blue (green spaces and waterfronts) infrastructure and corridors for sustainable development of the city. These plans are designed with a 20-year perspective and serve as a comprehensive framework to guide the city's planned and structured development.
