
Farmer suicide crisis deepens in Maharashtra, 767 deaths reported in 3 months
Investigations into the remaining 194 cases are ongoing. Of the eligible cases, 327 families have received financial aid of Rs 1 lakh each, with actions underway to address the pending cases. The government has directed all divisional commissioners to expedite the resolution of these cases.The minister outlined several measures aimed at curbing farmer suicides, including compensation for crop losses due to natural calamities and the provision of Rs 12,000 annually to farmers through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and Namo Shetkari Mahasanman schemes, jointly funded by the state and central governments.Moreover, the government is ensuring fair prices for agricultural produce, providing irrigation facilities, and operating counseling centers at the district level to support farmers' mental health and well-being.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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New Indian Express
34 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
National Herald case: Advocate Cheema tells court AICC attempted to revive AJL
NEW DELHI: Senior advocate R S Cheema, representing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday argued that the AICC was not trying to sell the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), but rather attempting to save the institution, which was part of the freedom movement. Cheema began his rebuttal before Special Judge Vishal Gogne. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the fraudulent takeover of properties valued at over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper. "Can my friend (ED counsel) tell me why they were shy of placing the Memorandum of Association (MoA) of AJL? AJL was established in 1937 by Jawaharlal Nehru, J.B. Kripalani, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, and others," Cheema said. "The AJL MoA said that the policy of AJL will be the policy of the INC. All through, AJL did not have profits. In the post-independence period, it was never a commercial institution. We (All India Congress Committee) were trying to retrieve an institution which is part of the freedom movement heritage. The problem was not recovering the loan (given to AJL); the problem was to revive it, to see that it comes back on the rails. AICC was not looking for profit from sales. This is a squinted version," Cheema said.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bellad seeks electric buses under PM's e-Drive scheme to North Karnataka cities
Deputy leader of Opposition in the assembly Arvind Bellad (BJP) has written to Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy urging him to allocate electric buses under the PM's e-Drive scheme to North Karnataka cities like Hubballi-Dharwad , Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Ballari and Vijayapura. While Bengaluru has rightly received 4,500 e-buses, other regions also deserve attention. These cities have growing transport needs, existing KSRTC infrastructure, and in some cases BRT systems—making them ready for an efficient e-bus rollout, Bellad, who represents Hubballi-Dharwad West in the assembly, has said in his letter. Such a move will reduce regional disparities, curb emissions, create local jobs, and boost the EV ecosystem in underserved areas. A more balanced approach to green mobility will ensure true inclusive development across Karnataka, the BJP leader has said. Kumaraswamy had, in May, announced that Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Surat cities will get 10,900 brand new electric buses under the PM's e-Drive Scheme over the next two years. The PM e-Drive initiative aims to deploy 14,028 electric buses with a total financial outlay of Rs 10,900 crore over a two-year period from April 2024 to March 2026. The scheme represents one of the world's largest national efforts to electrify public transport at scale.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Millet push, kiwi boost, dragon fruit drive: Uttarakhand's Dhami government reflects on 4 years of farm and horticulture gains
The Uttarakhand government has expanded focus on both traditional agriculture and high-value horticulture, introducing a series of initiatives aimed at increasing farmers' incomes and diversifying crop production across the state, under chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's four year tenure. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Efforts to promote traditional crops have included the procurement of mandua (finger millet) under the National Food Security Mission since 2022. The state has integrated millets into the public distribution system, mid-day meals, and Anganwadi nutrition programs to boost both demand and nutritional access. In 2023, the State Millet Mission was launched to raise awareness, increase production, and improve procurement and storage infrastructure. The state government has significantly raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mandua — from Rs 2,500 per quintal in 2021–22 to Rs 4,200 per quintal in 2024–25- marking a 68 per cent increase. In parallel, marketing initiatives such as open-market promotion and the House of Himalayas platform have been rolled out. The number of mandua collection centers has expanded from 23 in 2020–21 to 270 in 2024–25, with support from Multi-Purpose Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies and Farmer Producer Organizations. Further institutional support is being introduced through the Uttarakhand State Millets Policy 2025–26. The policy is structured in two phases: the first, running from 2025–26 to 2027–28, will cover 30,000 hectares across 24 development blocks; the second, from 2028–29 to 2030–31, will expand coverage to 40,000 hectares across 44 blocks. The policy applies to 11 districts, excluding Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, and supports crops such as mandua, jhangora (barnyard millet), ramdana (amaranth), kauni, and china (foxtail millet). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the horticulture sector, the Uttarakhand Kiwi Policy was launched in April 2025 and will remain in effect until 2030–31. It offers 70 per cent state assistance for setting up kiwi orchards at a cost of Rs 12 lakh per acre, with beneficiaries covering the remaining 30 per cent. The policy is applicable in 11 districts and has a total project outlay of Rs 894 crore. A separate scheme for dragon fruit cultivation was also launched in April 2025 under the Chief Minister's State Agriculture Development Program. The initiative, running through 2027–28, targets seven districts-Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Nainital, Bageshwar, Pauri, Dehradun, and Tehri. It offers 80 per cent state support on an estimated cost of Rs 8 lakh per acre, with the remaining cost borne by farmers. The scheme focuses on promoting cultivation through modern and scientific methods. 'Our government is committed to boosting traditional agriculture as well as horticulture to increase farmers' incomes. We are providing everything from modern seeds to advanced technologies. A prosperous Uttarakhand requires prosperous farmers,' said CM Dhami.