Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Rahul Gandhi expresses regret in defamation case filed by Shivraj's son

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday filed an application before the Madhya Pradesh High Court expressing regret for his allegedly defamatory statement about Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son Kartikeya Singh. Kartikeya Singh has filed a defamation complaint in a Bhopal court against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi's application, filed by his lawyer, said that his statement did not concern Singh. Kartikeya Singh filed the defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi in the Bhopal court for cases against MPs-MLAs, alleging that during an election rally in Jhabua in 2018, the Congress leader mentioned his name while referring to the Panama Papers leak scandal, thus damaging his reputation. The court issued a summons to Gandhi for personal appearance, following which the Congress leader moved the Jabalpur bench of the High Court seeking to quash the summons as well as the defamation case. The High Court will hear Gandhi's petition on Thursday. The petition

India has enough fertiliser stocks, prepared for El Nino: Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday assured that enough fertilizer stocks were available in the country, and also stated that the government had made preparations to handle the possible El Nino impact. Urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) would continue to be available at subsidised rates despite concerns over supplies amid the West Asia crisis, he said. India has adequate fertiliser stocks for the ongoing kharif season and the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure sufficient availability for the rabi crop cycle as well, he said. "Our government has decided that farmers will continue to get urea and DAP at affordable rates. The government is bearing the burden of increased prices," Chouhan told reporters after the conclusion of the five-day BRICS agriculture meeting in Indore. "This will put an additional burden of thousands of crores of rupees on the exchequer, but we are prepared to bear it in the interest of farmers," he added. "Our govern

Centre announces ₹95,692 crore interim allocation under VB-G RAM G

The interim allocation comes ahead of the formal launch of VB-G RAM G on July 1, 2026, across the country

Indore to host Brics meet on food security, farmer welfare: Shivraj Chouhan

A five-day meeting of the BRICS grouping will commence in Indore on Tuesday to discuss food security, smart farming, global agricultural trade and farmer welfare, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday. The discussions under India's presidency will include a three-day agriculture working group meeting from June 9 and a two-day BRICS ministerial meeting from June 12, he said. BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation comprising eleven major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia. Highlighting the significance of the meeting, Chouhan said BRICS is a very strong voice of the developing countries in the world. "Around half of the world's population dwells in BRICS countries. It has 42 per cent of the global agricultural land and accounts for more than 42 per cent of the produce. Of the 58 crore farmers across the world, 70 per cent small cultivators live in BR

Chouhan reviews monsoon progress, flags El Nino risk; govt on alert mode

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday reviewed the progress of southwest monsoon and directed officials to provide timely farm advisories and maintain better coordination with states to tackle the potential impact of El Nino on kharif crops. The government is on "alert mode", Chouhan said, asking officials to maintain constant check on monsoon status. "Ensure better coordination with states and take prompt action," Chouhan told officials in the meeting. He also asked them to provide timely advisories and essential assistance to farmers, an official statement said. Measures to safeguard farmers' interests and mitigate the impact on kharif crops were discussed in detail, it said. Officials from all departments and agencies concerned were present in the meeting. The southwest monsoon is expected to onset over Kerala around June 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. Typically, rains arrive in Kerala around June 1, marking the beginning o

Plans afoot to counter El Niño threat to kharif crops, says Chouhan

The ministry is in the process of identifying districts for alternative crops and ensuring seed availability in the event of an El Nino impact, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said

Govt fully prepared for El Nino impact on kharif crops: Shivraj Singh

The Centre is fully prepared to mitigate any adverse impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon on this year's kharif crop, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday, as he called for integrated farming and greater self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds. "Rather than worrying, preparation is required. Contingency plans will be made for affected districts and crop changes will be considered wherever necessary," Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day National Kharif Conference here. The Ministry is in the process of identifying districts for alternative crops and ensuring seed availability in the event of an El Nino impact, he said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had, in its first-stage forecast on April 13, projected a below-normal southwest monsoon for 2026, with rainfall likely to be around 92 per cent of the long-period average. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has indicated a probable return of El Nino conditions as early

Day after PM's meeting, Chouhan pushes result-oriented governance model

Dedicated teams of at least 10 officers each will review grievances, representations, citizen complaints across ministries on a daily basis

India is trying to secure fertiliser supplies from 28 countries: Chouhan

Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India is engaging with 28 countries for fertiliser supplies while urging farmers to adopt organic and climate-resilient farming practices

ICAR to introduce performance ranking system for all institutions

Agri minister Shivraj Chouhan issues showcause notice to ICAR's Grapes Research Institute for administrative lapses

Chouhan finds functional gaps at ICAR's grape research institute in Pune

Calls for quick action in developing new varieties; highlights slow progress in clean plant programme

Shivraj cuts convoy size, pushes work-from-home to save fuel amid crisis

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday reduced his convoy to three vehicles and directed officials to work from home as part of measures to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "seven appeals" for responsible fuel consumption amid the West Asia crisis. Chairing a meeting of officials from the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries, Chouhan asked departments to submit an action plan on work-from-home policy within two days and urged staff to adopt carpooling. He said foreign travel would be undertaken only when absolutely essential and most meetings would be held virtually, an official statement said. Officers and staff were asked to refrain from purchasing non-essential gold and encourage at least five other individuals to do the same. On the agriculture front, the minister announced setting up of a committee in every village to promote balanced use of fertilisers and natural farming on a large scale. Chouhan said edible oils should be used judiciou

VB-G RAM G replacing MGNREGA to come into force across India from July 1

The Centre has notified the VB-G RAM G Act, replacing MGNREGA from July 1, 2026, with a 125 day rural employment guarantee and expanded infrastructure creation mandate

Wheat production to surpass last year's level, says Shivraj Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the country's wheat production in the ongoing 2025-26 crop year (July-June) is likely to surpass last year's 117.94 million tonne despite localised damage caused due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms. "We believe wheat production to be better than last year," Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. The crop is good and there would be a record procurement, he added. Harvesting of wheat -- the main rabi (winter) crop - is almost completed in major growing states. Its procurement is in full swing. The agriculture ministry had projected a wheat production of 120.21 million tonnes in 2025-26 prior to unseasonal rains, higher than last year's actual output. However, the Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India (RFFI) projected on April 14 that output would decline marginally, factoring in recent weather damage. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra sought to bridge the gap between the two estimates. "While the ...

Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches PMGSY-IV in Odisha with ₹1,700 crore outlay

PMGSY-IV rollout in Odisha to boost rural connectivity with 827 projects across eight districts, alongside funding support for housing, irrigation and employment schemes

Seed, pesticide laws likely to be tabled in next Parl session: Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said laws related to seeds and pesticides are nearly ready and are likely to be tabled in the next session of Parliament for passage. Addressing a regional agriculture conference for northern states here, Chouhan said the proposed Seed Act and Pesticide Act have been circulated for feedback and aim to curb the sale of spurious and substandard inputs. "If anyone supplies fake or poor-quality seeds or pesticides, stringent action will be taken. The existing penalties are too low and ineffective," he said, adding that a nationwide campaign against such malpractices would be launched with support from states. The conference was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, state Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Horticulture Minister Dinesh Singh and representatives from nine states. Chouhan said that the Centre has shifted from a single national conference on rabi and kharif crops to region-specific ...

El Nino impact may be muted, govt ready for kharif sowing: Shivraj Chouhan

The agriculture minister reviewed kharif preparedness amid El Nino concerns, said strong reservoir levels, irrigation and contingency planning will help limit impact on farm output

MP farmers allege substandard bitter gourd seeds; FIR filed against Nunhems

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a ban on Nunhems' 'Robusta' bitter gourd seed brand, as per an official statement

Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveils district-wise agri roadmap for 4 MP districts

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan harps on value addition and integrated farming models

Unseasonal rains damage rabi crops on 249K hectares: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said unseasonal rains and hailstorms have damaged standing rabi crops across 2.49 lakh hectares so far, with wheat bearing the brunt and assessments still underway. Speaking to reporters ahead of the "Unnat Krishi Mela" launch in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan said three departments are conducting the survey. The reported damage till April 8 covers wheat most severely, followed by horticulture crops like mango and litchi. "The Modi government stands firmly with farmers in this crisis," he assured. On April 5, Chouhan had directed officials to review losses in affected states and coordinate with state governments. He has also consulted the agriculture ministers of impacted regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported heavy rain in northeast, central, south and northwest India from April 2-8, affecting Arunachal Pradesh, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tam