Centre refutes Congress's allegations on organic cotton in MP
Congress
's allegations regarding irregularities in organic cotton certification, calling the remarks unfounded and misleading.
The commerce ministry said the aspersions cast against the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) were baseless and unwarranted.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Please select course:
Select a Course Category
MCA
Project Management
Design Thinking
Product Management
Data Analytics
others
Public Policy
PGDM
Leadership
Technology
Degree
Operations Management
Others
healthcare
Cybersecurity
Artificial Intelligence
CXO
Data Science
Finance
Healthcare
Management
MBA
Digital Marketing
Data Science
Skills you'll gain:
Programming Proficiency
Data Handling & Analysis
Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
Duration:
24 Months
Vellore Institute of Technology
VIT Master of Computer Applications
Starts on
Aug 14, 2024
Get Details
"Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India," the ministry said in a statement.
The Congress on Saturday demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh.
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that India's image is being hurt globally as the country has lost credibility in the certification of organic products.
Live Events
"It may be mentioned that in a press briefing by an opposition leader yesterday (Saturday), unfounded, unsubstantiated and misleading aspersions are being cast against the Organic Certification programme, the NPOP," it said.
The ministry's arm Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), it said, is committed to ensuring that the organic certification system under the NPOP is credible, transparent, and clear.
"Wherever credible evidence of non compliances/wilful violation of organic standards have been brought to light, APEDA had undertaken extensive investigation and taken concrete measures. All such matters are subjected to structured investigation following principles of natural justice. Any certification body or operator found violating norms is penalised as per NPOP regulation," the ministry said.
The NPOP was launched in 2001 by the ministry to promote exports of organic products and APEDA acts as its secretariat for the implementation.
The system of grower group certification was launched in 2005, as it was felt necessary to cater to small and marginal farmers.
Third party certification is a mandatory requirement for export of organic products. The NPOP standards for crop production have been recognised by the European Commission and Switzerland as equivalent to their country's standards and are also accepted by Great Britain. There is an MRA for organic products with Taiwan.
At present, there are 37 active certification bodies operating in India, which include 14 state certification bodies.
"Herein, it is clarified that APEDA or the Department of Commerce does not extend any subsidy to farmers taking up organic cultivation under the NPOP. The figure of Rs 50,000 per hectare and the further wrongly imputed calculations have no basis," it said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
a few seconds ago
- Hindustan Times
Amid Oppn walkout, Amit Shah hails PM Modi for giving Pak ‘befitting reply'
Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday attacked the Congress for 'giving away' parts of Kashmir to Pakistan when it was in power and said that the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was committed to ending terrorism and ensuring the return of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Opposition MPs protest in Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI PHOTO) Shah was speaking in the Rajya Sabha even as the Opposition walked out in protest over the PM's absence from the Upper House during a special discussion on Operation Sindoor. 'I want to tell the Congress that POK was given by you, and only the BJP government will bring it back,' he said. 'Look at the coincidence that they died of bullet wounds in their heads. After the Pahalgam attacks I was requested by the family members of the killed to shoot the culprits in their heads, and coincidentally their demands have been fulfilled,' Shah said on the killing of the three terrorists. He also accused the Congress of creating the bogey of hindu terror in response to the 26/11 Mumbai attack. 'I proudly declare to the world... Hindus can never be terrorists' Shah said. The Opposition criticised the PM for not being present and speaking in the Rajya Sabha, as he had done a day before in the Lok Sabha. The government said its prerogative was to decide who will reply, but the Opposition dubbed the PM's absence as an 'insult to the House'. As soon as Shah rose to speak, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said, 'Members had demanded that after 16 hours of discussion, the Prime Minister should be present and address the House…Most of our questions are directed at him. It's not that you (Shah) are not capable of if the PM is present and still chooses not to come, it is an insult to the House.' As the opposition closed ranks and walked out, Shah slammed Kharge. 'He (Kharge) is not allowed to speak on important issues. The BAC decided that the discussion will be for 16 hours, and who will reply will be decided by the government. I know why they are walking out…for all these years, to protect their vote bank, they did not do anything to prevent terrorism,' he said. Congratulating the armed forces for the precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and more recently for Operation Mahadev, which led to the killing of three terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead, Shah slammed the Congress for failing to take a tough stance against terrorism. 'If the Congress had been in power, they would have declared Pakistan innocent. Congress has no moral right to question the BJP on terrorism. Today, we have a Prime Minister who responds with BrahMos missiles, not dossiers,' he said, criticising the Congress for not taking decisive steps against terror operatives. He said the party was opposed to the Prevention of Terrorism Act or POTA, a law passed in Parliament during the BJP rule in 2002 and scrapped it right away when it came to power in 2004. Responding to the Congress's charge about the timing of Operation Mahadev, the minister said he had wanted the terrorist responsible for the 'barbaric killing' of tourists in Pahalgam dead within days of the attack. Taking potshots at the Congress, he said, '...It is the mentality of the Congress party… in front of the whole world (P) Chidambaram proved that they will not be scared to support Pakistan for their vote bank; they will not be scared to save LeT for the sake of the vote bank. I also ask why they were killed today. They should've been killed much before.' Shah said the terror attack was used to deliver a message that Pakistan will not allow Kashmir to become free from terrorism. 'I want to give a message too… Kashmir will be free of terrorism,' he said, pointing out that the PM on April 24 has assured that those responsible for the attack would be punished 'beyond their imagination'. He credited the PM for giving the armed forces the 'operational freedom' to choose the time and the action in response to the Pahalgam attack. Shah also responded to Opposition criticism over US President Donald Trump's repeated assertion that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and said the pause was in response to the Pakistani DGMO's request. 'During Operation Sindoor, terrorists who were responsible for attacks during the UPA regime were killed,' he said. Shah cited the names of terrorists associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed who were killed during the May 7 operation across nine locations in Pakistan and PoK. Terrorists such as Dawood Ibrahim had fled the country during the Congress regime, he said. Criticising former Union minister P Chidambaram, Shah said, 'Why does Chidambaram need proof? Who is he trying to save—Pakistan or the LeT?' He said the forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts confirmed the involvement, and accused Lashkar's front, The Resistance Front (TRF), for executing the attack. 'Chidambaram questions if Operation Sindoor was decisive. Was (war in) 1965 or 1971 decisive? Then why did terrorism grow under the Congress?' he said. Shah lashed out at the party and said it was under Jawaharlal Nehru's premiership that Indian territory was lost to China. 'After the Indo-China war, Prime Minister Nehru gave away 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory to China. At that time, the US had suggested that India should be made a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council instead of China. But the Congress government declined, pushing a case for China,' he said.
Time of India
9 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chief secy's last day in office today: Suspense remains over extension
Lucknow: Unless he gets an extension, Thursday will be the last day in office for chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh. The chief minister's office has already written to the Centre, requesting for a one-year extension for Singh, citing upcoming programmes and projects. Sources say that any decision is likely to come on Thursday itself. The Centre's decision on whether to continue with the CM's choice or bring in a new person will be crucial in light of the assembly elections scheduled for the first quarter of 2027 as Singh is leading several key projects close to the CM, including the Zero Poverty programme, industrial development, an upcoming Ground Breaking ceremony and another Investors Summit around the beginning of next year. If Singh does not get an extension, there are three or four names doing the rounds of those who could succeed him. These include 1989 batch officer SP Goyal, who is currently additional chief secretary to CM, civil aviation and additional resident commissioner, UP, and Devesh Chaturvedi from the same batch, who is currently on deputation as secretary, department of agriculture and Farmer Welfare, GOI. Goyal is due for retirement in two years while Chaturvedi is up for retirement next year. Another officer who appears to be in the race is 1990 batch officer Deepak Kumar, who is ACS finance, commissioner finance and chairperson of State Vigilance Commission Administrative Tribunal-I. Singh had succeeded Durga Shankar Mishra, who was repatriated to UP two days before he was due to retire on Dec 31, 2021, and took charge as CS on Dec 30. Widely acknowledged as the Centre's choice, Mishra's 2.5 year tenure was record setting in terms of its duration and extensions. Mishra's appointment was unusual in other ways as well, as he came in when the then chief secretary RK Tiwari still had two months to retire. Orders for Mishra's repatriation to UP, secretary in the ministry of urban development, Government of India, were issued on Dec 29 which stated that he was being repatriated for his "proposed appointment" as CS. This change also came days before the February 2022 elections.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
SP MPs urge Centre to intervene in closure, merger of schools in UP
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party MPs on Wednesday raised the issue of closure of 26,012 primary schools and merger of another 5,000 schools by UP govt in Parliament and sought Centre's intervention to protect the right to education of the poor. The party also announced that it will adopt the route of an agitation to oppose this move of the state govt. SP MP from Azamgarh Dharmendra Yadav said right to education was introduced by the Centre hence the Union govt cannot shy away from its responsibility of ensuring the poor are not deprived of this right. He said by closing and merging thousands of primary schools the state govt will deprive the poor of the opportunity to send their children to schools. "In Uttar Pradesh, 26012 primary schools have been closed, 5000 of them have been merged, and appointments of over 2 lakh teachers have been stalled. Children from poor families and those from the PDA community are being deprived of the right to education. At the same time more than 27000 liquor stores are opened. This needs to be addressed," Dharmendra said. Apart from Dharmendra Yadav, other SP MPs including Anand Bhadauria, Naresh Uttam Patel, Lalji Verma, Neeraj Maurya and Priya Saroj also raised the issue. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo The MPs pointed out that the Union govt also contributes towards the budget for education in every state hence the Centre cannot keep mum on the issue and must intervene. They said UP govt was not abiding by the law on right to education passed by the Centre. Children from the poor sections of the society including the Dalit, tribals and those from the backward classes were being denied their right to education. People of the state will not accept this, they said.
