Onion procurement for the first train was done by the National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Ltd and for the 2nd by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd
Agri minister said govt would procure farmers' entire production of oilseeds
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said addressing seemingly minor issues faced by farmers could increase their income by up to 20 per cent. Meeting members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Independent) as part of his 'direct dialogue' (seedha samvad) initiative launched on September 24, Chouhan discussed various challenges affecting the agricultural sector. Asserting that the service of farmers is the worship of God, Chouhan said: "....These problems may seem small, but solving them can increase farmers' income by 10 to 20 per cent." In the meeting, BKU representatives raised concerns about contaminated factory water and ways to replace burnt transformers in short time, an official statement said. Discussion covered reducing crop costs, ensuring fair prices, and preventing waterlogging. Besides, use of excessive pesticide, its impact on health, and access to government schemes like PM Fasal Bima Yojana were discussed. Quality seeds and pesticides were provid
The government has implemented several farmer-friendly policies in its first 100 days of the third term with focus on improving agricultural productivity and exports, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference on the completion of 100 days of the Modi 3.0 regime, Shah said the government has implemented policies worth Rs 15 lakh crore across 14 sectors. Listing works initiated for the welfare of the farmers, he also said the Modi government has launched the agriculture fund to support startups and rural enterprises, driving agricultural innovation. The minister said the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund has been expanded to enhance agricultural infrastructure and support to farmers, and Rs 14,200 crore has been allocated across seven schemes to improve farmers' lives and livelihoods. The minister highlighted key achievements in the farm sector, including the disbursement of Rs 20,000 crore to 9.3 crore farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman .
Farmers body All India Kisan Coordination Committee on Wednesday asked state governments to formulate a comprehensive 'agriculture policy' in the interest of farmers and maintain the policy consistency for a minimum period. Farmers body All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) discussed the issue during a two-day brainstorming session organised in memory of late Sharad Joshi, a prominent farmers leader and founder of Shetkari Sanghatana. "More than 60 per cent of India's population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, yet many states lack their own agricultural policies, leading to conflicts between the Centre and states on various issues," AIKCC Chairman and former Rajya Sabha MP Bhupinder Singh Mann said in a statement. AIKCC emphasised the importance of maintaining policy consistency for a minimum period to boost agricultural exports and prevent frequent policy changes that harm farmers the most. Binod Anand, Vice Chairman of AIKCC, emphasised the strategic need fo
The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would soon form a multi-member panel to amicably resolve the grievances of farmers "for all times" and asked both the Punjab and Haryana governments to persuade the agitators at the Shambhu border between the states to remove their tractors and trollies from the site. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan, which posted the matter for further hearing on September 2, asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to convey to the agitating farmers that the court as well as the two states are concerned about their issues and a forum is being constituted for the redressal of their grievances. "We have suggested to the advocate general and the AAG of Punjab and Haryana respectively to submit the proposed issues, which will be the subject matter of reference for the committee to be constituted by this court," the bench noted in its order. It further said, "We have clarified that the reference to the committee will have a wider ...
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the previous UPA government had refused to provide 50 per cent profit on cost to farmers in the minimum support price for crops, as based on the formula suggested by the M S Swaminathan Commission. During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Deepender Hooda asked a supplementary question related to the farmers' protests of 2020-21 and said around 750 farmers lost their lives during the agitation. He asked if the government is considering providing jobs to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the year-long protests at Delhi's borders against three contentious farm laws of the Centre that have since been repealed. Chouhan said the question was not related to the main question, which was on issues faced by farmers. "The government is totally committed to farmers' welfare," he said. The agriculture minister alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had refused to ...
Farmer activist Navdeep Singh walked out of Ambala Central Jail after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail in a case registered in connection with farmers' February 13 'Delhi Chalo' march. He was arrested by Haryana Police from Mohali on March 28 on various charges, including rioting and attempt to murder. Singh was welcomed by farmer leaders as he walked out of jail late on Tuesday night. Earlier, farmer leaders had said that they would gherao the office of the Ambala superintendent of police on Wednesday and Thursday to protest against Singh's arrest. However, they changed the plan after his release. Singh, a native of Jalbera village near Ambala, became famous as the "water cannon man" for climbing atop a police water cannon in November 2020 during the farmers' agitation against the now-repealed farm laws. On February 13, farmers from Punjab led by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha began a march to Delhi to press their demands,
The professor advocated for raising subsidies to support a diversified food basket, necessary for achieving a balanced diet for the Indian population
The Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) is a game-changer for Jammu and Kashmir's agriculture and allied sector that could address challenges faced by farmers, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said. Sinha made the remarks after inaugurating the Litchi Festival and an agriculture exhibition organised by the horticulture department here on Sunday. Addressing a gathering at the event, "HADP has emerged as the game-changer for J&K's agriculture and allied sector. Twenty-nine projects of HADP hold the potential to address the challenges faced by farmers and it will diversify income sources." He said the unique initiative is a commitment of his administration towards farmers' welfare and determination to explore new avenues for their prosperity. Sinha said progressive reforms and policies of the administration are being implemented to tap the potential of agriculture and horticulture sectors in the Union territory. He extended his felicitations to all the stakeholders and ...
BJP candidates across the state facing repercussions of the two farmers' protests
The Congress on Thursday hit out at the BJP for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers' organisations and asserted that an INDIA bloc government will implement all its guarantees to the tillers, including the legal guarantee of MSP. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that elections have been held in 428 constituencies and now polling on 115 seats, including those in Punjab and Haryana, are left. In a video statement on X, he said the farmers' movement has been going on in Haryana and Punjab since five years and though the government took back the "three black farm laws", it has "not fulfilled the promises" it made to farmer organisations "For the last five years, the Modi government has continuously ignored the farmers' movement of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Atrocities were committed against the farmers. Now they are talking about snatching the MSP from the farmers of Punjab and Haryana for burning stubble," Ramesh said and asserted that the Congress strongl
Pluckk is connecting farmers to half a million homes and delivering over 2 million products every month, said CFO Nelson D'Souza
Few farmers from Tamil Nadu, including a woman, on Wednesday tried to climb onto a mobile tower as they protested at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over demands of better prices for their crops and the river interlinking issue, officials said. Scores of Tamil Nadu farmers gathered at Jantar Mantar, some of who tried to climb nearby trees and a mobile tower, police said. Police used a fire brigade crane to bring one of the protesting farmers back to the ground from the mobile tower, they said. "Around 50 people have come for interlinking of rivers. Two of them tried climbing a mobile tower but they returned back to the ground," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla said, adding that some of them tried climbing trees at the site. Protesting farmers said around 100 farmers from Tamil Nadu participated in the demonstration. The farmers said they are demanding a doubling of their income from farm produce, a pension of Rs 5,000, individual insurance, and interlinking of all
A total of 54 trains on the Ambala-Amritsar route were cancelled on Saturday as farmers squatted on tracks at the Shambhu railway station in Punjab's Patiala district for the fourth day, officials said. The protestors have been demanding the release of three farmers arrested by the Haryana Police during the ongoing stir. As many as 54 trains were cancelled on Saturday because of the farmers' protest, railway officials said. The protest has affected the movement of 380 trains in the last three days, causing inconvenience to passengers, they added. The farmers have been protesting under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) in Patiala district's Shambhu. They began their protest for the release of arrested farmers on Wednesday by squatting on the tracks on the Ambala-Ludhiana-Amritsar route in Shambhu near the Punjab-Haryana border. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the protest will continue until the three farmers are released
Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha continued to sit on a rail track in Patiala district near the Punjab-Haryana border on Thursday, demanding release of three farmers arrested by the Haryana Police. With their protest continuing, the railway authorities, under the Ambala railway division, on Thursday said 53 more trains were cancelled, 12 were short-terminated and 23 were diverted. The disruption in rail movement was causing inconvenience to rail passengers. Farmers are demanding the release of three fellow farmers, including Navdeep Singh, who were arrested by the Haryana Police during the ongoing stir. They have said they will not end their protest until their fellow protesters are released. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said their protest was going on. Ambala railway division, senior divisional commercial manager, Naveen Kumar said the movement of many trains have been affected because of the farmers' protest at
From drones to laser levellers, farmers in UP are increasingly adopting technology, Aditi Phadnis reports from the fields of Mohanlalgunj, near Lucknow
The government is planning to undertake guaranteed procurement of pulses -- tur, urad and masoor -- and maize at MSP from farmers if they opt for diversification from paddy crop, sources said. The Centre also mulling procuring cotton at minimum support price (MSP) without any condition of diversification, they said. The government agencies like NAFED and NCCF may enter into contracts with farmers for five years, official sources said. According to sources, the government could consider procurement of pulses, maize and cotton at MSP without any quantative restrictions, in case the farmers opt to move away from the water-guzzling paddy crop. A portal is being created by the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry where farmers can register by providing details like their Aadhaar Card number. In the portal, farmers will have to self-certify and mention diversification into these pulses and maize crops. Last month, a panel of three Union ministers proposed buying of these five crops by ...
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said that the Modi government is committed to the welfare of farmers and exuded confidence that the farmer leaders will see reason and call off their protest. Food Minister Goyal, along with Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai have held four rounds of talks with the farmers' group who are seeking a legal guarantee on MSP (minimum support price). He said that the government always support farmers and it stands by them. "Please don't get misled by the propaganda of some people. This government is committed to the interest of farmers and we are totally committed to a bright future for every farmer." The minister said that he along with the agriculture minister and the Minister of State for Home Affairs had suggested to the farmer leaders on how the government can work with them for a better future for the farming community and to help the country become self-reliant. "I am confident that th
Issues related to farmers' protest are "serious", the Supreme Court said on Monday and asked a litigant to desist from filing petitions based only on newspaper reports for publicity. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, allowed petitioner Agnostos Theos, the Managing Director of the Sikh Chamber of Commerce, to withdraw his plea that alleged violation of the rights of the "peacefully protesting" farmers by the Centre and some states. A request for withdrawal of the plea was made at the very start of the hearing by a counsel for Theos who said he intended to amend the petition. "These are very serious issues. Don't file these petitions based only on newspapers reports for publicity purposes. Only those persons who are serious and committed should file these petitions. If you have gone through the newspaper reports, then you must be aware that the high court is seized of the matter," Justice Kant told the counsel. The bench said the petitioner must know that the high co