Centre launches ‘Clean Plant Programme' for grapes, oranges & pomegranates from Maha
The union government has launched the 'Clean Plant Programme' for grapes, oranges and pomegranates from Maharashtra; the programme will be implemented pan-India whereby farmers will get the said horticultural plants 'disease-free'.
The launch was announced at India's first international Agri Hackathon organised in Pune, which was attended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Chouhan lauded the innovation and enthusiasm demonstrated by the participants and acknowledged Maharashtra's significant contributions to horticultural excellence. 'Maharashtra has emerged as a horticulture hub of the country. The efforts of the government and the hard work of the state's farmers have set an example for the rest of the nation. There is no guarantee whether the plants available for cultivation in the horticulture sector are disease-free and productive. To solve this problem, the central government will launch the 'Clean Plant Programme' to ensure that plants available to farmers are disease-free,' Chouhan said.
Nine 'Clean Plant Programmes' will be started across the country, three of which will be started in Maharashtra at a cost of ₹300 crore, Chouhan said. The 'Clean Plant Programme' for grapes will be started in Pune; that for oranges in Nagpur; and that for pomegranates in Solapur, Chouhan informed.
Modern nurseries too will be set up along with these projects, Chouhan further said. The nurseries will support those who use technology for agriculture. A sum of ₹3 crore will be provided for large nurseries whereas that of ₹1.5 crore will be provided for medium-sized nurseries, he said. Through these nurseries, eight crore disease-free seedlings will be available to the farmers every year. The union minister expressed confidence that Maharashtra's horticulture will be able to compete with the rest of the world. Chouhan also said that India looks forward to cooperation from countries such as Israel and the Netherlands for this programme.
The union minister added that scientists work in laboratories to produce good seeds, increase production and diagnose diseases. However, their research does not reach farmers in a timely manner. To bridge this gap, the government is trying to bring scientists and farmers together through 'Lab to Land'. For this, Chouhan said that the central government has taken an important decision that 16,000 scientists from across the country will come out of the laboratories and work directly with the farmers and the agriculture department of the union Government. Chouhan expressed his belief that if science and farmers come together and they get the support of the government and agricultural universities, miracles will happen in the agricultural sector.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Batteries, EVs under threat? India fires on all cylinders for rare earths amid China's tightening grip
As China tightens its stranglehold on the global supply of rare earth elements , India is shifting gears — fast. From forging new partnerships in Central Asia to finalising an ambitious incentive scheme for mineral recycling , India is pushing ahead to secure its place in the global race for critical minerals . At the recently held India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi, India and five Central Asian nations expressed mutual interest in jointly exploring rare earths and other critical minerals. In a joint statement, they called for an early meeting of the India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum, signalling growing geopolitical urgency to diversify away from China's near-monopoly. China's chokehold spurs urgency The backdrop to these moves is no coincidence. Over the past year, China has weaponised its control over rare earths, placing several critical minerals and magnets under strict export licence regimes. These are the very components vital for electric vehicles , wind turbines, semiconductors, and even military-grade systems. Beijing's message is clear: if the West can play export control hardball, China has its own scalpel and it's now using it with surgical precision. While the US, Europe, and Japan scramble to find alternative supply lines, India sees an opening — and it's moving to capitalise. From mission to momentum Under the Rs 34,300 crore National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), India aims to become self-reliant in sourcing and processing critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements. Joint Secretary in the Mines Ministry, Dinesh Mahur, announced that an incentive scheme for recycling these minerals is in its final stages. The Union Budget has already earmarked Rs 1,500 crore specifically for this effort. Public Sector Enterprises are expected to contribute Rs 18,000 crore to the mission. With a sharp focus on domestic exploration, overseas block acquisition, and technological R&D, the NCMM is India's boldest bet yet to insulate its industries from global supply shocks. Auto industry feels the heat The urgency is not just strategic — it's also economic. Rare earth shortages are already casting a shadow over India's auto sector, especially electric vehicles (EVs), which depend on permanent magnets for motors. Bajaj Auto has warned that its e-scooter production could be impacted from July if Chinese export delays continue. TVS Motor has echoed similar concerns. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), only a third of its members expect sales growth in June. The rare earth crunch, combined with high inventories and tight financing, has pushed automakers to brace for a cautious month — especially as the EV rollout faces headwinds. China's long game, India's fast track What China is doing today has been decades in the making. The world first saw signs of Beijing's ambitions in 2010 when it temporarily banned rare earth exports to Japan over a territorial spat. By 2020, China had passed its own Export Control Law, giving it sweeping powers to curb exports of materials deemed vital to national security. The law was broad enough to include critical minerals, tech, and even data. Now, with the US-China trade war escalating, rare earths have become Beijing's leverage. Export licenses have slowed, production lines in Europe have paused, and Washington is on edge. China's near-monopoly on processing and refining rare earths — not just mining them — means that even if other countries dig up the ores, they'll still need China to process them. Which is why India's current push isn't just policy — it's necessity. The Road Ahead While China refines 90% of the world's rare earths, India is still building capacity. But the groundwork is being laid — with diplomatic ties, budgetary commitments, and strategic focus. The success of the NCMM could determine whether India emerges as a resilient alternative or remains vulnerable to future supply shocks. With global demand for EVs, semiconductors, and green energy tech rising, the stakes couldn't be higher. In this global battle for minerals that power the future, India is no longer on the sidelines. It's suiting up — and firing on all cylinders.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
India plans critical mineral recycling scheme amid China supply worries
New Delhi: Amid concerns of rare earth magnet supplies from China, the Union ministry of mines is finalizing an incentive scheme for recycling critical minerals that are used in their manufacturing, top government officials said. The minerals under consideration for recycling include neodymium, dysprosium, terbium and samarium. Speaking to mediapersons in Delhi on the sidelines of a seminar on critical mineral processing, V.L. Kantha Rao, secretary to the ministry of mines, said that a scheme with an allocation of about ₹1,500 crore is in approval stage with the ministry and would also require the nod of the Union cabinet. 'We have thought of incentivizing the recycling of critical minerals. Rare earths are part of critical minerals. If someone says I can recycle old permanent magnets, which is very difficult and says that I would recycle neodymium or one of these four rare earths, then we will incentivize them. The scheme is yet to be approved. It's in the process of seeking approval," Rao said. Addressing the event, Dinesh Mathur, joint secretary to the mines ministry, also said that the scheme is in 'final stages." Also read: China restricts rare earth exports: Will it put the brakes on India's EV ambitions? Further, the mines secretary told mediapersons that the ministry is planning to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act to support the extraction of mine tailings, which are waste material left over after the extraction of minerals. 'Critical minerals require certain amendments in the Act and we will take some amendments to the monsoon session (of Parliament) hopefully. The finance minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) had earlier said that there should be a tailing if you are doing Manganese mining, you can extract Cobalt out of the dump. If you are doing Bauxite mining, from that red mud you can extract Gallium. Basically, we want to incentivize all these trace, critical minerals that are associated with bulk minerals. For that we will have to bring in a royalty structure which is attractive," Rao said. The National Critical Mineral Mission also talks about the regulatory regime to be relaxed to encourage optimum recovery of critical minerals from various sources such as overburden, tailings, fly ash, red mud, and existing mines. Industry supportive of move Speaking to Mint, Pratyush Sinha, vice president, special projects at Lohum, a critical minerals refining and processing company, said the scheme would help India's nascent mineral recycling industry stand on its feet and grow over the next few years to cater significantly to the domestic requirement. Also read: Weapons of wealth: How economic assets turned into war machinery 'This is going to be a major scheme for the entire industry. China has an upper hand as companies there have enjoyed several state benefits. The scheme will help the industry as it is still in the initial stages compared to the magnitude in China. So, it will help in bridging the gap till the sector becomes independent. Although initially recycling of critical minerals will only remain a small part of the overall critical mineral business and demand requirement, going ahead it would take a greater share," Sinha said. The background The development comes at a time when India's automobile industry is struggling to source rare earth magnets from China. On 5 June, Mint reported that applications from India for rare earths remain stuck even as China has resumed exports to other countries. Auto industry representatives told the ministry of heavy industries on 29 May that India's production of conventional and electric vehicles could be hit as early as this month if China doesn't resume exports of rare earth magnets to the country soon. An industry executive said that the supplies of rare earth magnets with the India auto industry currently are adequate for about four weeks. To be sure, China has a monopoly on rare earth magnets, essential for manufacturing of electric-vehicle motors and other auto components. More moves Media reports suggest that the Centre is also considering an incentive scheme to boost manufacturing of rare earth magnets in the country. Recycling of critical minerals is a key initiative under the ₹16,300 crore National Critical Minerals Mission approved by the Union cabinet in January this year. The mission also laid down a plan for formulation of guidelines for recycling of critical minerals to streamline the informal mineral recycling sector in the country. Although India has nearly 7 million tonnes of rare earth reserves, mining of these reserves have not picked up amid lack of investor interest. Plus, the country currently does not have a technology used at mass scale to develop rare earth magnets. Also read: Donald Trump reveals 'very good' call with Xi Jinping, accepts invitation to visit China with Melania Officials aware of the development said that state-run Non Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre has created a technology to develop rare earth magnets and it may become commercially available within the next six months. India has been in the pursuit of self-dependence in the space of critical minerals as the these minerals are required in several key and strategic sectors including renewable energy, electric mobility, batteries, defence and telecommunications. Apart from efforts to boost domestic production of these minerals including lithium, cobalt, manganese, Centre has also been encouraging India public sector and private sector to look at acquiring assets abroad.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
India, Denmark join hands to set up centre of excellence in green shipping
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal met Denmark's Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Morten Bodskov in a bilateral meeting here on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The meeting resulted in the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping, to be established in India. Both leaders reaffirmed the Green Strategic Partnership and exchanged views on bilateral maritime collaboration. An MoU was signed between the two countries. It is intended to improve the quality and efficiency of maritime activities while promoting the green transition of the maritime sector in India. The ministers underscored this as a new milestone in India-Denmark maritime collaboration with the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping, as outlined in the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on maritime affairs signed in 2024. Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "Under the visionary leadership of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is now the 4th largest economy and undertaking several transformative initiatives under our Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. These include efforts in port infrastructure, green shipping, shipbuilding, and digitalisation." "We seek Denmark's participation and investments in these transformative initiatives, where your expertise and leadership in sustainable maritime practices can make a significant impact. We are keen to develop both domestic and international green shipping corridors with Denmark. Identifying suitable routes, developing supportive policy, and building infrastructure will be key," Sonowal added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The two ministers reaffirmed the Green Strategic Partnership, as mutually agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Denmark counterpart, Mette Frederiksen. The Ministers highlighted the importance of the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on maritime affairs signed in 2024, which encompasses establishing the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Green Shipping. The ministers highlighted alignment with targets set out in the Government of India's Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, including India's ambitions to become a green shipping hub for the international maritime sector. A Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed between the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC), Lothal, and the Maritime Museum of Denmark, Elsinore, to increase collaboration in the preservation and valorisation of cultural heritage related to maritime heritage. The LOI established a framework for cooperation to study, exchange, or showcase common maritime heritage, share technical know-how, and conduct joint research on common maritime heritage. Adding further, Sarbananda Sonowal said, "We appreciate Denmark's engagement through the Joint Working Group on Shipping and the India-Nordic Summit. The Joint Action Plan on Green Strategic Partnership provides a strong framework to drive all this forward. Our maritime cooperation is built on mutual trust, shared values, and a common vision for a sustainable and future-ready maritime sector. Our joint efforts will also contribute meaningfully to global maritime sustainability and innovation. " Both sides discussed possible ways and means to deepen bilateral maritime relations spanning green shipping, decarbonisation, maritime training and education, green fuel and technology collaboration, and ship recycling. India has proposed that the National Centre of Excellence for Green Port and Shipping (NCoEGPS) and the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) begin joint work on certifications and launch collaborative research focused on energy efficiency technologies. It also proposed that the Indian Ports Association (IPA) coordinate with the Port of Aarhus to develop smart port solutions. These innovative models can later be adapted and scaled across ports in India to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability. "Digital transformation is a shared goal between us. Denmark's use of technologies like blockchain for ship registries and automation in port operations is closely aligned with our Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047," added Sarbananda Sonowal during the meeting. The CoE is intended to improve the quality and efficiency of maritime activities while promoting the green transition of the maritime sector in India. Both parties identified the Maersk McKinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) and the National Centre of Excellence for Green Port and Shipping (NCoEGPS) as key institutions to formulate a specific project plan for the development of a Green Corridor. Indo-Danish CoE will contribute to the development of green corridors through a pre-feasibility study. The study will serve as a preliminary assessment of the main components of possible green corridors in India and outline the most promising ones.
