CM reaches out to mango, tobacco and cocoa farmers
At a review held on support prices for mango, tobacco, and cocoa, the Chief Minister directed officials to expedite the procurement of the remaining HD Burley tobacco, after he was informed that 80 million kg of HD Burley tobacco was produced this year. Of this, 27 million kg had already been procured, officials told the Chief Minister. In this regard, arrangements have been made for 24 companies to purchase 33 million kg, while AP Markfed is set to procure the rest.
Procurement centers have been established in Bapatla, Guntur, Palnadu and Prakasam districts. Officials informed the Chief Minister that procurement operations at these centers would be intensified starting Thursday. The CM instructed that all relevant information, including details of procurement centers, be promptly shared with every tobacco farmer. The Chief Minister directed the implementation of robust grading systems to enhance exports. He mentioned that he had already discussed with the Union government the reduction of import duties on palm oil and the lowering of GST on mango pulp from 12% to 5%. He asked officials to coordinate with the relevant central departments on these matters.
Chandrababu Naidu stressed the importance of keeping farmers informed about crop plans, especially concerning mango cultivation. To ensure fair pricing, farmers need timely information on market demand.
Addressing the crisis faced by mango farmers, with pulp factories offering them as low as Rs 4 per kg, Chandrababu mentioned that the government was providing an additional support price of ₹4 per kg for mangoes and instructed officials to ensure that processing units purchased mangoes at no less than ₹8 per kg. He reassured that the government would stand by farmers to prevent any losses.
Regarding cocoa, officials reported that 12,000 metric tonnes had been produced this year, of which 10,000 metric tonnes had already been sold. The authorities are currently procuring 80 to 100 metric tonnes per day. Chandrababu directed that the remaining stock be procured by the first week of July.
He also instructed the formulation of an action plan to establish more fruit processing units across the state. Emphasizing the importance of exports aligned with international market requirements, the Chief Minister reiterated the need to implement best-in-class grading mechanisms.
Agriculture Minister Atchennaidu and senior officials from the agriculture and horticulture departments attended the meeting. District Collectors of Guntur, Bapatla, and Prakasam joined via video conference.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
CII summit flags need for better regional connectivity to boost devpt
Mangaluru: The issue of lack of connectivity posing a major hurdle in Mangaluru's march towards the Silicon Beach and Beyond Bengaluru initiatives took centre stage at the Infrastructure & Logistics Summit organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Mangaluru here on Thursday. Delivering the keynote address, New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) chairman Venkata Ramana Akkaraju said even after 75 years of Independence, connectivity from the rest of Karnataka to the west of the state has not improved, hindering the progress of the coastal districts. "Infrastructure, connectivity, and GDP growth are complementary to each other. Udupi and Dakshina Kannada contribute Rs 1.2 lakh crore of to the GDP of Karnataka, with per capita income being around Rs 4.92 lakh. Yet, we have to accept that coastal Karnataka is still missing the bus," he said. Within the state itself, there have been connectivity issues. Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75 and NH 275 to Mysuru were a work-in-progress for several years, often closed during heavy rains. The Mangaluru-Hassan rail connectivity, too, often gets affected due to heavy showers. Given such a situation, Mangaluru-Bengaluru airfares have shot up to Rs 10,000. In spite of the many challenges, NMPA has increased its cargo handling from 34 million tonnes to 46 million tonnes in the past five years, with profit after tax rising from Rs 110 crore to Rs 550 crore. The port could have handled more than 65 million tonnes of cargo, increasing its profit by an additional Rs 150 crore, had there been adequate connectivity, Akkaraju claimed. S Selvakumar, the principal secretary in the commerce and industries department, said: "Karnataka ranks No. 1 in per capita gross state domestic product (GSDP) in the country, and No. 2 in foreign direct investment as well as GST contribution." He added that the state's Industrial Policy 2025-30 is focused on developing world-class infrastructure. '92% willing to return home' Suyog Shetty, the CEO of Niveus Solutions, said 92% of the talent that migrated from the coastal region of Karnataka are willing to return home if there are meaningful alternatives. Speaking on 'Mangaluru as the Next Tech Destination: Leveraging Cloud, Talent, and Innovation' at the CII summit on Thursday, Shetty highlighted the need to engage local talent in the state's development journey. "If you offer the right opportunity and adequate salary, people will return to Mangaluru," he said. He said the Karnataka govt's policy, availability of land, and proximity to power sources are very favourable for anyone to set up data centres in Mangaluru. According to G Sundararaman, the chief scientist and head of Wipro Research, India is in an absolute tech decade with vast opportunities in the semiconductor industry. The cascading effect could be felt in Mangaluru as well, he added. Underscoring the cost benefits of acquiring office and residential spaces in Mangaluru, Rohith Bhat, the founder of Robosoft, said: "The region has a good ecosystem, with companies referred to as 'talent capitals'. There are several engineering and other colleges around. This massive talent pool allows firms to acquire the best brains from within the region itself." Suvin Narayan, representing the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, spoke on 'accelerating digital infrastructure in Tier-II cities: KEDM's Vision for Mangaluru'.
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chandigarh's vehicle scrapping policy stuck in 1st gear
Chandigarh: Despite a full tank of incentives, Chandigarh's vehicle scrapping policy is sputtering. Launched over 18 months ago with the promise of cleaner roads and greener air, the city's Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) has managed to scrap just 3,159 private vehicles—a drop in the ocean compared to the 50,000 new vehicles registered last year. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now By October last year, only 1,065 private vehicles were scrapped. "There is a marginal increase in the rate of vehicles getting scrapped, but it is still very low. There was an expectation that the policy with monetary incentives built-in would attract more vehicle owners," said a UT official. Vehicles registered with the 'Certificate of Deposit' receive a rebate on the registration of new vehicles. Transport vehicles get a 15% rebate, and non-transport vehicles get a 25% rebate on registration. The Certificate of Deposit is issued by the RVSF after the old vehicle is scrapped. Additionally, the scrap value of the vehicle is paid by the authorised scrapping agency. As per the information shared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, 5,068 govt vehicles were scrapped at the RVSF. By October last year, 2,500 govt vehicles were scrapped at the RVSF. "While it is mandatory for govt vehicles to be scrapped at the RVSF after 15 years in service, for private vehicles in the city, it is still a voluntary exercise. Around 50,000 vehicles were registered last year, but in one and a half years, only about 3,000 vehicles were scrapped. Most vehicle owners get the life of their vehicles extended by repeatedly getting them passed," said a UT official. The passing of a vehicle after 15 years is done manually in the city. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "In-depth testing of the vehicle is not possible manually, so most vehicles get passed. Automated and mechanical testing is required to filter out the road-unworthy vehicles, which can then be scrapped," said the official. AICC start to push up scrapping of pvt vehicles The UT officials contend that the start of Chandigarh's first automated inspection and certification centre, likely to be in the next financial year, will bring in scientific testing of old vehicles. The centre, coming up at a cost of around Rs 14 crore on a 3.5-acre plot in Raipur Kalan, will check the technical quality of the vehicle, whether it meets the environmental stipulations, and its roadworthiness. "Currently, the process of checking the roadworthiness of a vehicle involves a lot of human discretion. Sometimes it results in even vehicles in poor condition getting roadworthiness certificates. But after the centre starts operations, the entire process will be automatic. In total, a vehicle will be tested against 23 parameters," said the official. The registration of vehicles beyond 15 years depends on their roadworthiness. If the vehicles are not roadworthy, they have to be scrapped at the registered RVSF. "Vehicles that continue to be operated for two years even without mandatory passing after they complete the 15-year service period can be impounded and sent for scrapping," said the official.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Canara Bank net profit up 21.6% to Rs 4,572cr in Q1
Bengaluru: Canara Bank delivered a strong performance in the April-June quarter of FY 2025-26, with net profit rising 21.6% year-on-year to Rs 4,752 crore. This growth was driven by robust advances, higher fee-based income, and improved asset quality. The bank's global business grew 10.9% YoY to Rs 25.6 lakh crore. Global deposits increased 9.9% to Rs 14.6 lakh crore, while gross advances rose 12.4% to Rs 10.9 lakh crore. Retail credit saw significant growth of 33.9%, led by double-digit increases in both housing and vehicle loans. In an interview with TOI, Canara Bank MD & CEO K Satyanarayana Raju said the bank consistently exceeded its guidance across parameters for the last eight quarters. "We are on a steady upward trajectory. Even in a traditionally slow June quarter, we delivered 12.4% credit growth, led by RAM (Retail, Agriculture and MSME) sectors. We intend to maintain this momentum," he said. Raju credited the improved NPA performance to long-term investments in credit underwriting and technology. "This success is the result of sustained efforts over two years and three months, including overhauling underwriting processes, centralising loan approvals, and enhancing monitoring through data analytics. Slippages reduced from Rs 3,800 crore to Rs 2,100 crore per quarter," he added, noting that fresh corporate slippages are now "almost zero." You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Canara Bank operates 9,861 branches and 7,907 ATMs across India and overseas, with international offices in London, New York, Dubai, and GIFT City. The bank continues to expand its physical presence. "Public sector banks, including ours, recognise the importance of branches for retail business sourcing and low-cost deposits. We have been opening over 250 branches annually for two years," Raju said. This year, the bank plans to open 260 new branches, bringing the total to over 10,000. "We use AI and data analytics to target high-potential semi-urban and rural areas," he explained. New branches are also planned in Ladakh, where the bank acquired land and is setting up a regional office. The bank is upgrading its ATM network by replacing old machines with cash recyclers to enable 24x7 cash deposits. "Our goal is 4,000 recyclers this year; 2,500 are already installed," Raju noted. While UPI usage has surpassed ATM transactions among younger customers, senior citizens and middle-aged users still prefer physical banking. "We are aligning our ATM upgrades with these behavioural shifts. Cash recyclers will also allow shopkeepers to deposit earnings after hours," he added.
