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Hans India
11 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Milk situation stable due to adequate stocks: MoS Baghel
New Delhi: The milk situation in the country has remained stable owing to adequate commodity stocks with stakeholders, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, responding to a question whether there is a need to import milk due to an acute shortage in domestic production. Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying S.P. Singh Baghel said in reply to a question from T.R. Baalu that the estimated milk production during 2023-24 stood at 239.30 million tonnes with per capita availability of 471 gram per day. He said the government, in consultation with State/Union Territory milk federations and other stakeholders, regularly monitors the milk situation in the country. Baghel said India is a member country of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and follows all the regulations of the WTO for international trade, including the agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures. The milk products complying with India's SPS measures and applicable import tariffs are imported in the country in a limited quantity, the MoS said. Sharing steps taken to increase domestic production of milk and protect the dairying industry in the country, the MoS said the government has launched a Rashtriya Gokul Mission which aims at the conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds through scientific breeding and genetic improvement to enhance productivity and increase milk production. He said the National Programme for Dairy Development aims to enhance the quality of milk and milk products and increase share of organised milk procurement. Supporting Dairy Cooperatives & Farmer Producer Organisations engaged in dairy activities (SDCFPO) aims to strengthen dairy cooperatives and farmer producer organisations by providing them with working capital loans and facilitating market access, ensuring timely and remunerative payments to dairy farmers, he said. Baghel said the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund incentivises private investments in dairy processing, meat processing, animal feed plants, breed improvement, vaccine production, and animal waste management. Earlier, Baalu had asked the government if due to acute shortage in domestic production of milk and milk products there is need to import milk and its products in the near future. Baalu had also asked whether it is true that according to a recent study by the SBI, imports of dairy products including milk will adversely affect the livelihood of domestic milk producers.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Southern Railway highlights projects at a meeting of MPs
For long, there was a public perception that Southern Railway was not carrying out projects fast enough in Tamil Nadu. Hence, the railway authorities convened a meeting of the Members of Parliament of Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur recently to give an update on infrastructure projects. A Southern Railway official said the meeting was convened at the direction of the Railway Board to highlight the infrastructure projects and also the station redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. At the meeting, chaired by Chennai Central MP Dayanidhi Maran and Sriperumbudur MP T.R. Baalu, several issues were highlighted by the other MPs, including Sashikanth Senthil (Tiruvallur) and Rajya Sabha Member Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu. Mr. Baalu, representing one of the biggest constituencies in the State spread across Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur, wanted the officials to complete the extension of the Mass Rapid Transit System from Velachery to St. Thomas Mount at the earliest. The project had been dragging on for years, he said. Mr. Baalu said the project was initiated when he was the South Chennai MP. He also wanted the MRTS services increased. He wanted the officials to expedite land acquisition for the fourth line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu, as the third was not used much, despite its completion. Redevelopment delayed Mr. Baalu urged the officials to redevelop the Tambaram station, a project that has been delayed for more than two years. It is to be executed by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) for which a detailed project report was prepared. Mr. Sashikanth Senthil, in a representation given to Southern Railway General Manager R.N. Singh, said several projects were progressing slowly. Among them was the redevelopment of the Ambattur, Tiruvallur, and Gummidipoondi stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. He wanted the officials to explore the possibility of a fourth railway terminal either at Avadi or at Tiruvallur. He pointed to the congestion in the north Chennai rail corridor and the absence of third and fourth lines for segregation of suburban and mail and express services resulted in office-goers and traders from Gummidipoondi, Ponneri, and other industrial areas suffering hardship. The absence of the third and fourth lines resulted in the operation of only a limited number of suburban services to Gummidipoondi, as also towards Sullurupeta. Plea for track-doubling Kancheepuram MP G. Selvam said a large number of residents in Kancheepuram depend on the suburban services from Beach to Thirumalpur and the presence of a single track has resulted in poor operation of suburban services, at a frequency of one hour. He demanded that the track be doubled at the earliest. Mr. Singh said the issues highlighted by the MPs would be looked into and steps would be taken to improve passenger amenities. He said the fourth line project between Beach and Egmore was successfully commissioned. The project was executed at a cost of ₹275 crore. Railway officials made a presentation on the projects that were completed and in progress in these constituencies. In North Chennai, the Perambur and Beach stations are being redeveloped, with lifts, platform shelters, and footbridges. At Perambur, a new waiting hall has been opened. Drinking water booths have been installed at the Washermanpet station. In South Chennai, where the redeveloped St. Thomas Mount station was inaugurated last week, station improvement is in progress at Guindy, Mambalam, and Saidapet. At Mambalam, escalators are being installed in the western side and at Saidapet, a new platform has been paved. Culvert built Civic projects have been completed at the stations in the Chennai Central constituency. The approach road to the Villivakkam station has been paved and a culvert has been constructed across the Egmore station to connect the storm water drain from Vepery to the Cooum river, thus preventing rainwater stagnation on the tracks. Tactile tiles have been laid for persons with disabilities at the Chintadripet and Tiruvallikeni stations. The Egmore station is being redeveloped at a cost of ₹842 crore. As part of the Tambaram station redevelopment, new lifts and escalators have been installed and platforms have been built with additional shelters, drinking water facilities, benches, and waiting halls. The work on the Kilambakkam halt station will be completed by the end of the year. At the Avadi station, eight new lifts have been installed and the parking space has been paved. At the Tiruvallur station, a footbridge is being built, and the Minjur and Ennore stations have been fitted with lifts, according to the presentation.
