US tariff issue: Aqua farmers assured of resolution
The minister made these remarks after a meeting in Bhimavaram, where aqua farmers from the West Godavari district voiced their concerns about the steep drop in prawn prices following a 50% tariff imposed by the US on Indian aqua products.
During the meeting, organised by the West Godavari Prawn Farmers Welfare Association at the BJP district office, farmers submitted a memorandum detailing their struggles. Minister Srinivasa Varma, recalling his own experience of losing Rs 4 crore in prawn farming, said he directly understands their hardships.
He said that the aqua sector is a significant source of employment in the state and that any harm to it would adversely affect other sectors. He stated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has become the world's fourth-largest economy and is no longer in a position to be pressured by other nations. He assured the farmers that protecting their interests is the government's primary objective during this challenging time and promised to work towards a resolution. Srinivasa Varma expressed commitment to bringing key issues to the attention of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, including providing subsidised power to aqua farmers regardless of the zone and ensuring the supply of feed at lower costs.
He also promised to arrange a meeting between the state leaders and the aqua farmers. Additionally, he said he would meet with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to request necessary assistance. The minister expressed optimism that the US tariffs are temporary and may be withdrawn soon.
The minister also mentioned his and Kaikaluru MLA Kamineni Srinivas's crucial role in filing a case in the Supreme Court to resolve the issues faced by Kolleru farmers. He noted that a CEC team recently visited Kolleru to gather feedback from farmers and expressed hope for a swift resolution to that problem as well. N Gajapathi Raju, GV Subba Raju, Thota Vijay Kumar, Pernicherla Subhash Raju, Panja Venkateswara Rao, Kalidindi Vinod Varma, and others participated in the meeting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
22 minutes ago
- Mint
E20 petrol is safe, says govt, amid engine damage, mileage concerns
New Delhi: The government on Tuesday sought to allay concerns over the 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20) hurting mileage and damaging vehicle engines, saying that the fuel in fact gave better acceleration and improved ride quality. In a statement, the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas said that vehicle owners do not find any issue related to drivability, metal compatibility and plastic compatibility while using E20 petrol. The ministry also rejected suggestions that E20 causes a 'drastic' reduction in fuel efficiency as "misplaced". "The use of E20 gives better acceleration, better ride quality and most importantly, lowered carbon emissions by approximately 30% as compared to E10 fuel. Ethanol's higher-octane number (108.5 compared to petrol's 84.4) makes Ethanol-blended fuels a valuable alternative for higher-octane requirements that is crucial for modern high-compression engines. Vehicles tuned for E20 deliver better acceleration, which is a very important factor in city driving conditions," the ministry said. Citing Brazil's experience with ethanol-blended fuel, it said that the south American nation has been successfully running on E27 for years with zero issues. The same automakers such as Toyota, Honda, Hyundai among others produce vehicles there too, the ministry said, adding that safety standards for E20 are well established through Bureau of Indian Standards specifications and Automotive Industry Standards. "In most parameters including drivability, startability, metal compatibility, plastic compatibility, there are no issues. Only in case of certain older vehicles, some rubber parts and gaskets may require replacement earlier than in case non-blended fuel was used. This replacement is inexpensive and can be easily managed during routine servicing. It may need to be done once in the lifetime of vehicle and is a simple process to be carried out at any authorized workshop," it said. Users have also complained, citing a NITI Aayog report, that ethanol-blended petrol should be cheaper than non-blended fuel, and that this cost advantage has not been passed on to the customers. The ministry said that in 2020-21, when the report of NITI Aayog was prepared, ethanol was cheaper than petrol. Over time, procurement price of ethanol has increased and now the weighted average price of ethanol is higher than the cost of refined petrol, the ministry said. "Currently, the average procurement cost of ethanol for Ethanol Supply Year 2024-25, as on 31.07.2025, is ₹ 71.32 per litre, inclusive of transportation and GST. For producing E20, OMCs (oil marketing companies) blend 20% of this procured ethanol with Motor Spirit (MS). Price of C-heavy molasses-based ethanol increased from ₹ 46.66 (ESY 2021-22) to ₹ 57.97 (ESY 2024-25)," the ministry said. "Price of Maize-based ethanol increased from ₹ 52.92 to ₹ 71.86 over the same period. Despite the increase in price of ethanol in comparison to petrol, the oil companies have not gone back on the ethanol blending mandate because the programme delivers on energy security, boosts farmers' incomes and environmental sustainability," it added. Describing the concerns as "totally baseless", the ministry said that usage of E20 fuel has no impact on the validity of insurance of vehicles in India. Automobile manufacturers continue to engage with vehicle owners to provide them any support that may be warranted to ensure optimum performance of vehicles, the ministry said. "For a vehicle owner, who believes that his/her vehicle may require further tuning or parts replacement, the entire network of authorized service stations are available to respond to such requests." Regarding moving beyond 20% ethanol blending, the ministry said that it would require careful calibration, for which extensive consultation are underway. This process has involved the same vehicle manufacturers that are already in Brazil as well as other manufacturers, entities involved in supply of feedstocks, R&D agencies, oil companies and ethanol producers. This process is yet to reach conclusion, it said. As per the current plan, the government is committed to using E20 petrol till October 2026. "Decisions for beyond 31.10.2026 will involve submission of the Report of the Inter Ministerial Committee, evaluation of its recommendations, stakeholder consultations and a considered decision of the government in this regard. That decision is yet to be taken," it said.
India.com
24 minutes ago
- India.com
Irish President Condemns Attacks On Indian Diaspora, Says 'Deep Sense Of Gatitude'
Irish President Michael D Higgins has condemned the rise in attacks against the Indian diaspora in Ireland. On Tuesday, he expressed a "deep sense of gratitude" to the Indian community in Ireland and said Indian presence, work and culture have been a source of enrichment and generosity. "We are all mindful of the immense contribution this community has made, and continues to make, to so many aspects of Irish life, in medicine, nursing, the caring professions, in cultural life, in business and enterprise, to cite just some. Their presence, their work, their culture, have been a source of enrichment and generosity to our shared life," he said in a released statement as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Hans India
24 minutes ago
- Hans India
UP govt enhances ambit of old-age pension, vows to cater to over 67 lakh senior citizens
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to enhance the ambit of old-age pension for the senior citizens and has now set a target of providing a monthly pension to more than 67 lakh elderly, in the current financial year 20025-26. The pledge comes after the UP government disbursed old-age pensions for 61 lakh poor senior citizens in the first quarter. In the first quarter of the previous financial year, the Yogi government had met its goal of crediting Rs 1,000 pension directly into the bank accounts of 56 lakh elderly beneficiaries. This year, the Social Welfare Department set a new target of 61 lakh pensioners, which it accomplished. Now, the state government has raised the bar and seeks to cater to 67.50 lakh elderly. The Old Age Pension Scheme is a cornerstone of the Yogi Adityanath government, aimed at making financially vulnerable senior citizens self-reliant and helping them handle financial hardships during later years of their life. Under the Old Age/Farmer Pension scheme, those old-aged people who are 60 years of age or above and whose income from all sources in rural areas is up to Rs 46,080 and in Urban areas Rs 56460, are eligible under the pension scheme. Under this scheme, people 60 years or above are given a pension amount of Rs 1000 per month on a quarterly basis. The reach of the Old Age Pension Scheme has grown steadily since 2018-19, when 40.71 lakh beneficiaries received Rs 1,879 crore. By 2019-20, the number rose to 47.99 lakh (Rs 2,698 crore), and in 2020-21 to 51.24 lakh (Rs 3,694 crore). The upward trend continued with 51.92 lakh (Rs 4,278 crore) in 2021-22, 54.97 lakh (Rs 6,083 crore) in 2022-23, and 55.68 lakh (Rs 6,464 crore) in 2023-24. In 2024-25, 55.99 lakh elderly beneficiaries received pensions. The achievement of this year's target within the first quarter highlights the government's priority towards ensuring both the financial security and self-respect of the elderly. It also reinforces the state government's commitment towards the welfare and dignity of senior citizens. The introduction of the Single Nodal Account (SNA) system has made the pension distribution process fully digital and transparent. Under this system, pension amounts are transferred directly to Aadhaar-linked accounts, eliminating middlemen and ensuring timely, corruption-free disbursement. The SNA system also facilitates faster payments, easier audits, and efficient fund tracking, guaranteeing that every rupee is used for the intended purpose. Since the scheme's launch in 2017, when it covered 37.47 lakh beneficiaries, the reach has nearly doubled, now targeting 67.50 lakh people.
