Ministries prepare crisis plans after PM's review meet amid border tensions

Ministries of agriculture, power, labour and consumer affairs prepare plans to support farmers, protect jobs, and ensure grid and supply stability amid border conflict

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with secretaries to assess their preparedness in view of the India-Pakistan conflict, several government departments gathered to prepare plans to deal with the crisis.

 

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed officials to be prepared to assist farmers in bordering states with sowing operations and ensure they did not face difficulties.

 

During a review meeting at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi, Chouhan said he would speak with the chief ministers of bordering states like Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab regarding their requirements in case the villages needed evacuation. The government will address farmers' needs if sowing is delayed, he said.

 

The minister was also informed about the status of crop sowing, food grain production, and fruit and vegetable availability.

 

The government has designed a framework for the upcoming kharif season, beginning from July. Chouhan said foodgrain stocks were sufficient, with “bumper production” of wheat at around 26.70 million tonnes.

 

He also directed officials from the rural development ministry to arrange temporary employment through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for displaced people in conflict-prone districts.

 

“We are all ready to serve the country through agriculture and rural development,” Chouhan said.

 

Meanwhile, the consumer affairs ministry warned traders and wholesalers against hoarding essential food items that could create artificial shortages.

 

In a social media post, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said: "Don't believe in propaganda messages regarding food stocks in the country. We have ample food stocks, far exceeding required norms.” 

 

A senior official had told Business Standard that the Centre would hold meetings with all stakeholders and industry associations to ensure that prices of essential commodities did not flare up in view of the border crisis.

 

A top official from the power ministry said: “The departments concerned are keeping a watch on the demand and supply of power, maintaining grid flexibility in the border states, where there are blackouts all night.”

 

He said the department was also following safety procedures to avoid any cyberattack on the national grid.

 

A senior labour ministry official said states had been directed to ensure safety and employment of workers during the current crisis in accordance with the Factories Act.