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Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
CM steps in to protect interests of mango farmers
Kuppam (Chittoor district): Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has called on pulp industries and processing units to immediately step up and procure mangoes from farmers. At a high-level meeting held at his residence in Kuppam on Thursday, Naidu assured farmers that the state government was committed to protecting their interests and would also provide necessary assistance to industries to keep the supply chain moving. The meeting brought together mango farmers, industry representatives, and government officials from the erstwhile Chittoor district. Officials informed the Chief Minister that while 1.12 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes have already been procured, an additional 1.7 lakh metric tonnes are expected to be purchased. Farmers expressed frustration that pulp industries were holding back purchases, citing limited orders, lack of storage, and delays of up to four days just to unload produce. Responding to these concerns, Naidu urged industries to start immediate procurement to prevent losses at the farm level. He said the government would stand by them through policy-level support and infrastructure facilitation. Industry leaders flagged other pressing issues such as high import duties in European markets, while countries like Pakistan and those in Africa enjoyed tariff-free access. They urged the CM to take up the matter with the Centre and also pushed for a reduction in GST on mango pulp from 12 per cent to 5 per cent. Naidu said the government had already written to the Centre on GST and assured them he would pursue it again. Touching on the economics of mango farming, Naidu noted that yields currently range from 6 to 12 tonnes per acre. He stressed the need to ensure fair pricing for farmers while making processing units economically viable. He instructed industries to offer Rs 8 per kg without delay and to streamline the procurement process. The possibility of introducing mango juice in the midday meal scheme for schoolchildren was also raised. Naidu responded that eggs were already being provided as a nutritional supplement but agreed to examine the idea further. Calling for a shift to natural farming, the Chief Minister encouraged mango farmers to minimise chemical use and embrace sustainable practices. 'Global markets demand quality. Our produce must meet international standards through testing, tracing, and certification,' he said. Naidu also warned farmers against being misled by those attempting to politicise the situation. 'There are people trying to provoke you. Don't fall for their games. The government is solidly behind you,' he said. In an earlier media interaction, he criticised previous governments for failing to offer tangible support mango farmers. 'This year's crop is excellent, but the market is weak. That's why we must focus on food processing and value addition,' he added. Collector Sumit Kumar, horticulture commissioner Srinivasulu Reddy, Puthalapattu MLA K Murali Mohan, and MLC K Srikanth were among those present.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
How to close India's rich dad-poor dad gap
India is poised to become the world's third largest economy. Yet, behind the headlines about rising GDP lies a sobering truth: For most Indians, the economic status of their parents still defines their future. The promise that hard work and talent can shape one's destiny is not the reality for many. This is not just inequality of income, it is inequality of opportunity. Read full story on TOI+ Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
We'll cross the bridge when we get there
Washington: India is engaging with American lawmakers over concerns surrounding a new Russia sanctions bill introduced in the US Congress, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. The bill, backed by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, seeks to impose 500 per cent tariffs on countries-- including India and China-- that continue to trade with Moscow even after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago. When asked about potential implications of the bill, Jaishankar said, India will "cross that bridge when we come to it." "Regarding Senator Lindsey Graham's bill, any development which is happening in the US Congress is of interest to us if it impacts our interest or could impact our interest," the minister said in a press conference in Washington. "Our concerns and our interests on energy, security have been made conversant to him (Lindsey Graham). So, we'll then have to cross that bridge when we come to it. If we come to it," he added. Graham, who is sponsoring a tough new sanctions bill on Russia, said the legislation aims to pressure countries like India and China into buying Russian oil and other goods to weaken Moscow's war economy and push Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table on Ukraine and give Trump "a tool" to bring that about. Amid Western sanctions, countries like India and China have continued buying discounted Russian oil, making them targets of the proposed legislation. India, the world's third-largest oil-importing and consuming nation, traditionally sourced its oil from the Middle East. However, it began importing a large volume of oil from Russia soon after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This was primarily because Russian oil was available at a significant discount to other international benchmarks due to Western sanctions and some European countries shunning purchases.
