CM Adityanath, World Bank chief Banga launch two projects for farmers, youths
Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and World Bank President Ajay Banga on Friday jointly launched two initiatives 'UP-AGRIS' and ' AI Pragya ' with an aim to transform Uttar Pradesh into a more advanced state. Under the UP-AGRIS project, to be implemented with the World Bank's assistance, modern technology-driven farming will be promoted in the Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions. The initiative is expected to enhance agricultural productivity and benefit nearly 10 lakh farmers, according to an official statement.Under the 'AI Pragya' programme, which aims to position Uttar Pradesh as a hub for artificial intelligence, 10 lakh youths across the state will be trained in various AI skills."Uttar Pradesh is now recognised globally as a growth engine of India and not a barrier to progress," Adityanath said at the launch event, adding that both the programmes are crucial in realising the state's vision of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.He expressed gratitude for the World Bank's support in the AGRIS project, which he said would help improve farm productivity and uplift the farming community.The projects were launched following a meeting between Cheif Minister Adityanath and World Bank chief Banga at the former's residence.During the meeting, Adityanath praised the World Bank for its consistent partnership in the state's development efforts, including environmental protection, tourism promotion, and infrastructure development.The Rs 4,000-crore UP-AGRIS project will receive Rs 2,737 crore in loans from the World Bank over a period of six years, while the Uttar Pradesh government will contribute Rs 1,166 crore. The loan has a repayment period of 35 years at an interest rate of 1.23 per cent, according to the statement.The programme will directly benefit farmers, fishers, farmer organisations, and agri-related MSMEs, with 30 per cent of the benefits reserved for women. About 10,000 women producer groups will be involved, and 500 farmers will be sent abroad to learn best practices in agriculture, it added.This project will cover 21 districts of eastern UP, including Shravasti, Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Maharajganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Sant Ravidas NagarBesides, it will also cover seven districts of Bundelkhand -- Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda, Lalitpur, and Chitrakoot.The chief minister also announced an upcoming nutrition mission for children. The ' CM Nutrition Mission ' will cover children aged six months to six years, and voluntary organisations will be involved.A study team will be sent to Indonesia, where a similar programme is in place, he said.Under the AI Pragya scheme, 10 lakh youths will be trained in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Participants will receive certification, and the initiative aims to support employment and startup culture in the state.The programme will be implemented in collaboration with departments like education, health, agriculture, rural development, revenue, and secretariat administration, according to the statement.The launch event also saw the screening of a short film showcasing Uttar Pradesh's development journey.Banga attended the event along with World Bank Vice President Auguste Tano Kouame and India Country Director John Roome.From the state government, ministers Suresh Khanna, Surya Pratap Shahi, Swatantra Dev Singh, Baldev Singh Aulakh, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, and other senior officials were present.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
39 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Why Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka are fighting over mangoes
By an order issued by the district collector of Chittoor on June 7, the Andhra Pradesh government has banned the entry of juicy Totapuri mangoes from other states into Chittoor district, a decision that has put it at loggerheads with neighbouring Karnataka. Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, in a letter dated June 10, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a letter dated June 11, have asked their Andhra Pradesh counterparts — K Vijayanand and N Chandrababu Naidu, respectively — to roll back the order said to be causing significant distress to mango farmers in Karnataka. A juicy mango Totapuri, also known as Bangalore or Sandersha, is a mango cultivar grown in the bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. I have written to Andhra Pradesh CM Shri @ncbn requesting him to withdraw the ban on the entry of Totapuri Mangoes from Karnataka into Chittoor district. This ban hurts thousands of farmers and traders. Cooperation between states is vital for the prosperity of our people. — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) June 12, 2025 Known for their elongated shape and distinct parrot beak-like tip (hence 'Totapuri'), the variety is valued for its juice and pulp. Totapuri mangoes are used aplenty in mango drinks manufactured and distributed across the country. Food and beverage processors, including multinational companies, buy these mangoes directly from farmers. Notably, Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district is home to several mango processing and pulp extraction companies that procure Totapuri mangoes from local markets. District officials, with the support of revenue, forest, marketing and police departments, have banned Totapuri mangoes from Karnataka entering Chittoor. The reason: the mangoes from Karnataka are cheaper than ones being grown in Andhra Pradesh. 'Every year, the Andhra government announces the price at which processors should purchase Totapuri mangoes,' an Andhra Pradesh government source told The Indian Express. 'This year the state government has announced the price at Rs 8 per kg. Keeping in mind the low price and high supplies the government has agreed to provide an additional Rs 4 per kg to the farmers,' the source said. In Karnataka, however, the price is just Rs 5 to Rs 6 per kg, the Andhra Pradesh government claims. 'If we allow [Karnataka] mangoes to reach the Andhra Pradesh market, the processors will prefer these mangoes over ones grown in the state, which are priced higher. This will plunge Andhra farmers into distress,' the AP government source said. With 5.5 lakh tones expected to be procured, the government is set to spend around Rs 220 crore on these mangoes An escalating standoff 'This abrupt and unilateral move has caused considerable hardship to mango growers in Karnataka, particularly those in the border regions who cultivate Totapuri mangoes in substantial quantities. These farmers have long relied on robust linkages with Chittoor-based processing and pulp extraction units for marketing their produce,' said Siddaramaiah, adding that the ban 'is contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism'. He further said: 'The current restriction has disrupted this well-established supply chain and threatens significant post-harvest losses, directly impacting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers'. Chief Secretary Rajneesh's letter echoed similar concerns. Notably, both letters said that Karnataka farmers may take retaliatory measures, including blocking of vegetable and other agricultural commodities' sales across the border from Andhra Pradesh to Karnataka, which would 'escalate inter-state tensions,' Rajneesh wrote. This standoff comes in the context of the two neighbouring states being ruled by parties sitting across the aisle in Parliament: while the Congress is in power in Karnataka, the Andhra Pradesh government is headed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a key ally in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre. So far, the Andhra Pradesh government has not officially responded to the letters from Karnataka.
NDTV
39 minutes ago
- NDTV
World Bank Ends Ban On Funding Nuclear Energy Projects To Meet Power Demands
The World Bank is re-entering the nuclear energy space "for the first time in decades," its President Ajay Banga said Wednesday, as it works towards meeting growing electricity demand in developing countries. Mr Banga said in an email to staff that the bank will work closely with United Nations nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), "strengthening our ability to advise on non-proliferation safeguards" and regulatory frameworks. The decision comes as electricity demand in developing countries is set to more than double by 2035, Mr Banga noted in the memo seen by AFP. To meet this need, annual investment in energy generation, grids and storage will have to increase from $280 billion today to about $630 billion. "We will support efforts to extend the life of existing reactors in countries that already have them, and help support grid upgrades and related infrastructure," Mr Banga said. The Washington-based lender will also work to speed up the "potential of Small Modular Reactors" so these can become a viable choice for more countries eventually. Mr Banga, who took the helm of the development lender in 2023, has pushed for a change in the bank's energy policy -- and his letter comes a day after a board meeting. "The goal is to help countries deliver the energy their people need, while giving them the flexibility to choose the path that best fits their development ambitions," Mr Banga said. Besides focusing on improving grid performance, he added that the institution will continue financing the retirement or repurposing of coal plants, supporting carbon capture for industry and power generation. In April, on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank's spring meetings, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the bank could use resources more efficiently by helping emerging countries boost energy access. He said that it should focus on "dependable technologies" rather than seek out "distortionary climate finance targets." This could mean investing in gas and other fossil fuel-based energy production. Bessent at the time also lauded the bank's efforts toward removing restrictions on support for nuclear energy. Beyond the shift in nuclear energy financing, Mr Banga said Wednesday that the bank has yet to reach agreement within its board on whether it should "engage in upstream gas," and under what circumstances it should do so. The United States, which is the World Bank's biggest shareholder, is among countries to have campaigned for the group to rethink its ban on supporting nuclear projects.
NDTV
39 minutes ago
- NDTV
Noida Tech Firm Founder Refused Interim Bail In Rs 3,558 Crore Scam
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant interim bail on medical grounds to the founder of a Noida tech firm, Arif Nisar, who is a key accused in a money laundering case linked to Vuenow Marketing Services over rotating money between old and new investors in the guise of sub-leasing cloud particles. Counsel appearing for Nisar told the bench of Justice PK Mishra and Justice Manmohan that he needs an injection and a surgery to save the eyesight of his right eye. However, the top court noted that there were no such recommendations by the doctors on the need for his hospitalisation. At this point, Nisar asked for a fresh examination by doctors, but the court refused his request. The top court granted him the liberty to approach the high court if the doctor recommended hospitalisation. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Nisar, a key figure in Vuenow Marketing Services Ltd, as part of a money laundering investigation linked to the company and its associated entities. The probe agency in its investigation said that Zebyte Infotech Private Limited (ZIPL) and Zebyte Rental Planet Private Limited, affiliates of Vuenow Group, were rotating the money of new investors to the old ones in the guise of sub-lease rent of cloud particles. As such, no rental income was generated from any clients who purported to have taken cloud particles on rent, the Enforcement Directorate said. According to the Enforcement Directorate, Nisar, who holds 75 per cent shareholding in ZIPL, is a mentor and founder of VMSL group and a close associate of Sukhvinder Singh Kharour. Kahrour is said to be the mastermind behind this alleged scam. The ED had also arrested Vuenow Group chief executive officer Sukhvinder Singh Kharour and his wife Dimple Kharour, who are allegedly involved in cheating people on the pretext of selling to them "cloud particles (servers)" and leasing them back on the assurance of providing monthly rental income to the investors. The probe agency said that funds to the tune of Rs 3,558 crore were raised through the alleged scam. What is the scam The case stems from an allegation that promoters and directors of these firms were running a scheme in which they lured people into investing in cloud particles or servers, for which they offered guaranteed rental returns of 48 percent per annum. They allegedly told the investors they would rent out these cloud particles to clients, and the rental income would go to them. But, it is alleged by the probe agency that there were no clients. Instead, new investors were brought in to pay the old investors, using the bank accounts of sister firms Zebyte Rental Planet Pvt Ltd (ZRPPL) and Zebyte Infotech Pvt Ltd (ZIPL).
