Latest news with #Mantri
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Eviction underway to clear encroachment on 3,600 acres of forest land in Assam's Golaghat
A massive eviction drive is underway to clear alleged encroachment on over 3,600 acres of forest land in Assam's Golaghat district, officials said on Tuesday (July 29, 2025). The move by the state government will affect at least 1,500 families, they said. Several senior officials of the Golaghat district administration and the forest department told PTI that the eviction drive started in the morning to clear the alleged encroachment on almost 11,000 bighas (over 3,600 acres) of land in the Rengma Reserve Forest in Uriamghat along the Assam-Nagaland border in Sarupathar sub-division. Although the government has claimed that the area was encroached, there were houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), water connection under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), government schools under Sarba Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) and electricity connections to almost every household, besides markets, mosques, madrassas and churches, the locals claimed. "The eviction started from the main market in the Bidyapur area. We will gradually proceed to residential areas and demolish the illegal housing structures," an official said. He claimed that around 10,500 bighas to 11,000 bighas of land were encroached upon by the people. "Around 2,000 families are living in those areas. Out of them, notices were served to about 1,500 families, who illegally settled here. The remaining families are forest dwellers and have certificates from the Forest Rights Committee (FRC)," the official said. The families whose houses are being demolished belong to the Muslim community, while those having FRC certificates are from Bodo, Nepali, Manipuri and other communities, he added. "Around 80% of the families who had received notices have already vacated their illegal settlements in the last few days. We are only demolishing their homes," the official added. While speaking to PTI, the affected families, however, questioned the rationale of the eviction drive and claimed that they were brought to the place by the earlier governments to protect the area from the alleged invasion of Nagaland. "Where will we go from here? My father had come from Nagaon district around 40 years ago, but I was born here. We were brought here during the 1980s to protect the forest land from encroachment from Nagaland," said Ali Kazi, who also received an eviction notice. He claimed that most of the alleged encroachers' previous generation was settled in the forest area by the Janata Party government, headed by ex-CM Golap Borbora, in 1978-79 and the first AGP government, which came to power in 1985. Notably, the assembly was informed in March that almost 83,000 hectares of land belonging to Assam were being occupied by four neighbouring states. It was also stated that Nagaland captured the highest amount of land in Assam — 59,490.21 hectares. Mr. Kazi claimed, "We have been cooperating with the authorities in this eviction drive. We requested them to settle us somewhere else, but they refused. We now have no option but to stay under tents. We are not even given drinking water; forget about food. It's very inhuman." Another eviction victim, Mamtaj Ali, asked, "If we were illegal settlers, how did we get electricity connections? Why did the government open schools and give us JJM connections? We were also given houses under PM Awas Yojana." When asked about these government infrastructure, a senior official of the forest department accepted that such facilities were provided by the authorities, and some of these installations were made even after 2016 when the BJP came to power for the first time in Assam. "I do not know why these were sanctioned and established in this area. These were made before I came here," he added. There were mosques and madrassa for people belonging to the Muslim community, while churches were set up by the Bodo people, the official said. For carrying out the eviction drive across 12 villages, the authorities divided the entire area into nine zones and conducted a survey accordingly, he added. "An extensive land survey of around 30 villages of the Rengma Reserve Forest was done. It is found that several thousand bighas of forest land have been converted into agricultural land by the suspected encroachers in 12 villages," another official said. A district administration official said that proper notices were served by the forest department to the encroachers, giving them seven days to vacate the place. He said that many of the suspected encroachers are reportedly from Nagaon, Morigaon and Sonitpur districts. The Assam Police have stationed a senior official from the headquarters in Golaghat to oversee the law and order situation during the eviction drive. "There are enough security personnel deployed, and we are fully prepared. Apart from our personnel, we have taken support from CRPF for the eviction exercise," he told PTI without sharing further details. In the meantime, the Nagaland government issued an advisory to the bordering districts to keep a strict vigil so that displaced people cannot cross into the state in the event of the eviction drive. On July 25, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Uriamghat to inspect the areas that have been encroached upon and for which the state government had already issued eviction notices. He said those who had settled on these land parcels came from various districts in Assam, such as Cachar, Sribhumi, Dhubri, Barpeta, Hojai, Nagaon and Morigaon, as well as from other states, including West Bengal and Bihar.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Financial inclusion drive targets 12,708 panchayats
HYDERABAD: A massive three-month Financial Inclusion campaign is currently underway across Telangana, targeting all 12,708 gram panchayats in the state. Launched on July 1 and running until September 30, the campaign aims to saturate enrolments under key social security and banking schemes at the grassroots level. The initiative is being carried out under the directives of the Centre's Department of Financial Services. As of July 27, special camps have been held in 4,400 gram panchayats. A total of 67,541 applications have been received for the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), of which 42,027 beneficiaries have already been covered. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), 53,460 applications were received, and 30,803 individuals have been enrolled. For the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), 9,244 applications have been submitted, and 5,535 enrolments have been completed. Re-KYC procedures have been carried out for 9,313 PMJDY accounts and 9,138 non-PMJDY accounts. Additionally, 15,932 account nominations have been updated. This statewide campaign is being spearheaded by the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC), in collaboration with the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Telangana. Banks across the state, under the supervision of lead district managers and respective district collectors, are conducting camps to ensure the financial inclusion schemes reach every eligible citizen. The campaign focuses on opening new bank accounts, especially for unbanked adults, completing Re-KYC formalities for inactive accounts, and enrolling citizens in PMJJBY, PMSBY, and APY. It also aims to promote awareness about digital fraud prevention and the process for claiming unclaimed deposits, along with updating nominations in deposit accounts. Each gram panchayat is hosting at least one special camp, with banks assigned to areas based on their local presence. Citizens are strongly encouraged to attend these camps, complete necessary formalities, and update nominations to avoid future inconveniences, as accounts without Re-KYC may be frozen.
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Not too worried about markets as strong flows are unlikely to taper off soon, says WhiteOak's Mantri
India faces external risks even as the domestic economy stays on a solid footing, according to Ramesh Mantri of WhiteOak Capital Asset Management Co. Improving domestic growth, rising liquidity, and potential rate cuts are expected to aid recovery, but the 'real concern is on the external front" from growing global protectionism to US-China tensions, said Mantri, chief investment officer (CIO) at the company. Mantri isn't worried about domestic markets. Even though small-cap valuations are a concern, he expects stable domestic flows—from mutual funds, insurance (including unit-linked plans), and Employee Provident Fund Organisation—to support Indian equities and are unlikely to taper off anytime soon, he said. Edited excerpts: What do you see as the biggest risks for the market right now? The domestic economy is in good shape–growth is improving, liquidity has picked up, and rate cuts should support recovery, though with a lag. The real concern is on the external front. We are witnessing rising trade barriers, like recent tariffs even on Japan—a key US ally—which shows how broad-based protectionism is becoming. Then there is the uncertainty around US-China relations; even if a deal is signed, we don't know how long it will last. Read more: Bajaj Finance had an excellent Q1. But the managing director's exit left investors on edge. Geopolitical risks are unpredictable and could disrupt exports. Although these risks have been manageable so far, this may change. India has a chance to boost its manufacturing and R&D, but despite some progress and new government schemes, it still trails behind countries like China in electric vehicles (EVs) and industrial technology. On the markets, the main concern is valuations in small caps. However, Indian markets are supported by strong, stable domestic flows—from mutual funds, insurance (Ulips), and EPFO—which aren't going away anytime soon. So overall, I am not too worried. Has the easing of geopolitical pressure prompted a strategic rethink? Maybe reducing exposure to export-oriented firms and leaning more toward domestic-facing ones? We don't know how future geopolitical events will play out. So, I don't change my strategy based on assumptions that tensions will either escalate or ease. Instead, I focus on finding value, whether it is in export-oriented or domestic-facing companies. The goal is to maintain a balanced portfolio, rather than swinging heavily to one side. Sure, if you bet right, you could win big, but if you are wrong, the hit is just as hard. What is your take on current valuations—do they seem stretched? Valuations, at the headline level, look fair in large caps. However, small- and mid-caps are trading at a 20–25% premium to large-caps, so valuation in this segment is definitely a headwind. That said, it does not mean every stock is overvalued, just at the aggregate level. The universe beyond large-caps is vast and less efficient, which means that skilled stock picking matters more. Think of it like this: large-cap investing is like fishing near the coast—calm waters, lots of competition, and fewer big catches. Small- and mid-caps are deep-sea fishing—fewer fishermen, more opportunity, but also more risk. If you're skilled, you can catch a lot more. But if you're not, you might just end up being lunch for the sharks. Which means getting caught in the market turbulence? It is not just about market turbulence; there can also be issues with the company itself, such as poor corporate governance, business model flaws, or simply picking the wrong stock. In small-caps, especially if you get it wrong, exiting can be tough. That is the challenge with this space. There are more sharks, more hidden risks. And that is where things can really go wrong. What is your sell discipline? Our approach to investing in our equity fund is that we don't take cash calls. We don't sell just because we have a view on the market. We believe asset allocation should be managed by the investor or their adviser. If they've chosen to allocate to equity, our job is to stay fully invested. That means, when we want to buy something new, we need to sell something else, typically what we consider the weakest or most inferior idea in the portfolio at that time. There are several clear reasons why we decide to sell. One, when we have made the returns we were aiming for. Sometimes, we expect a thesis to unfold over three years, but it often happens in one. If that's the case, we book profits and move on. Two, when we get something wrong. That includes governance issues—for example, if the management lacks transparency, we exit without hesitation. Three, when something significantly changes the industry or business dynamics, like a new regulation, a major global shift, or a new competitor that permanently alters the landscape. For example, if a regulator clamps down on a segment like F&O, companies dependent on that space could be structurally impacted, even if the regulation is well-intentioned. Similarly, if a country like the US imposes steep tariffs, exporters may suddenly become unviable; not their fault, but still a valid reason to re-evaluate. Lastly, even if the industry is stable and the business model remains intact, poor execution alone — such as consistent market share loss — can be a reason to revisit the investment and potentially exit. Read more: Dixon preps for life after PLI, fearing hit to margins Since you spoke about market share loss, what is your take on the paints sector? First of all, the paints sector is facing aggressive new competition, and there has also been an ownership change in one of the top companies. Both are interesting developments. Paints is a unique industry in India. One player holds a large market share, and distribution plays a big role. That makes it tough for new players to break into the market. In fact, many global companies have attempted to do so over the last 30–40 years, achieving some initial success, but have eventually struggled. So, sustaining that is a problem? In any industry, achieving the first 5% market share is relatively easy. There is always some low-hanging fruit. But once you start gaining more, competition wakes up, realizes they're losing ground, and begins to take aggressive action. Do you think the era of alpha (outperformance to the underlying benchmark) coming from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) staples is behind us now, with the focus shifting towards the likes of consumer discretionary and e-commerce? First, I would not categorize all FMCG products together. Some categories, such as soaps or toothpaste, already have very high market penetration. Therefore, growth is limited to premiumization—such as whitening benefits or encouraging second-time brushing, which remains low in India. Tea is another example—people already consume a lot, so there's little room for growth in volume. But there are still high-growth areas within FMCG. The consumption of coffee, for instance, is increasing as people shift from tea. Chocolates too—India is a country of mithai, or traditional sweets, and chocolates are a type of mithai made with cocoa. There is a lot of room for variety and flavours. Processed food is another big space. Whether we like it or not, with less time and more disposable income, people are shifting to ready-to-eat meals—ranging from Maggi to instant poha. Double-income households want convenience. Ice creams, global snacks like nachos with salsa, and innovative noodle flavours are becoming more popular, especially among younger consumers. FMCG growth is shifting to these new categories, while many established companies still prioritise traditional staples. Read more: HDFC Bank unlocks massive gains ahead of NSDL IPO, fuels retail frenzy in unlisted market Additionally, energy drinks and vitamin waters are gaining more prominence in the beverage market. There are areas experiencing significant growth, and current trends indicate that discretionary products may grow at a faster pace than staples, as consumption of essential goods tends to remain stable. Where is the incremental spending now moving towards in the discretionary basket? Incremental spending is moving towards fashion, entertainment, and travel. As per capita income rises, discretionary spending will shift toward premium and luxury across categories—cars, bikes, real estate. Many consumers will move from unbranded to branded products, like buying their first branded suitcase. Travel will also see a boost, with more people shifting from trains to flights and spending more on holidays and tourism. Which is what luggage makers are banking on. Tourism is a natural beneficiary; as incomes rise, people start valuing experiences more, including eating out. That's also where modern retailing comes in. We have shifted from traditional kiranas to modern trade and digital commerce. First came food delivery, now quick commerce is becoming a habit. What started with a few essentials has expanded into regular use, with people ordering almost everything online. India is uniquely suited for this shift in consumption habits. Unlike the West—where cheap land, personal cars, and bulk buying are common—India has expensive real estate, high traffic, limited storage space at home, and a culture of eating fresh. Daily milk delivery and weekly vegetable shopping are part of that. So, the Western big-box model doesn't fit here. Instead, quick commerce and hyperlocal models are likely to work better. Thinking a little more about the medium term. Premiumization is trending, but there is a concern about demand. So how do you balance these two? Demand in India can broadly be split into three buckets. The top end remains largely unaffected — incomes are high enough that slowdowns don't pinch. The lower-income and rural segments, however, go through demand cycles tied to agri-income, rural economy stress, and government spending. The spending by the middle-income group is driven by inflation, job stability, and confidence. In recent years, especially post-Covid, households in both low and middle-income categories have leaned on microfinance and small personal loans to meet rising aspirations — amplified by social media and influencer trends. But this has led to some stress, with even bankers flagging early signs of strain. As the economy stabilizes and rural indicators improve, especially with policy support and a good monsoon, demand recovery should follow. Which sectors do you see holding the most exciting opportunities? The biggest sector with opportunities is BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance)—a large and diverse sector, good fundamentals, and reasonable valuations. Next is pharma and healthcare, with solid fundamentals and acceptable valuations. Beyond that, we find pockets of opportunity mainly in consumer discretionary, which is a mix of hotels, real estate, paints, alcohol companies, brands, airlines, and more — a heterogeneous set of businesses. Read more: SRF pushes the pedal on capex amid potential demand revival So moving on, how would you draw the line between diversification and dilution? So, dilution only happens if you cannot invest with quality research. If you are a small team covering too many stocks, then yes, it is dilution. But if you have a large team, owning more stocks actually adds alpha, not dilution—especially beyond the top 250 names, where competition is lower and fewer analysts track those companies. In small- and mid-caps, the alpha potential is higher if backed by strong research. Do you think expanding the stock universe could be a smart way to uncover more alpha opportunities? Exactly, that's our core belief: the deeper you go beyond the top 200 stocks, the less competition you face. Fewer investors track these names, which creates alpha opportunities. We aim to play well at the top, but the big alpha often lies deeper in the market. What's your outlook on gold? You recently reduced your exposure—does that signal a shift in how you're viewing the markets ahead? We cut our gold exposure not based on judgment but through our model, which compares gold valuations relative to interest rates, the dollar, and equities. As gold rallied, it became less attractive versus equities, so we rebalanced accordingly, shifting profit from gold into equities. An important point to note would be – while most focus is on equities (just 15% of total wealth for most people), the bulk—85%—is in real estate, gold, FDs, and insurance. If people can improve returns slightly on that 85%, the overall impact on their financial well-being would be far greater than trying to outperform within equities alone.
The Print
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Print
Gujarat sees highest coverage under PM's rooftop solar installations scheme; Bengal, Jharkhand lag
According to data provided by the MNRE Wednesday, the implementation of the policy since February 2024 has been inconsistent across states. Gujarat and Maharashtra are leading, with 5.23 and 3.79 lakh households covered, respectively, but the scheme is yet to cover even 1,000 households in states such as Jharkhand and West Bengal. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is a central scheme introduced in February 2024 to provide rooftop solar installations in one crore households. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore until 2026-27. The scheme grants residential households subsidies of 40-60 percent for solar panel installations. New Delhi: As of 14 July, the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the solar rooftop scheme of the Centre, had benefitted 15.45 lakh households, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has informed the Parliament. Nearly 5.23 lakh of those households—33 percent—are located in one state, Gujarat. 'The scheme is demand-driven, meaning all residential consumers in the country … can avail the benefits of the scheme by applying on the National Portal,' according to a written response submitted by the MNRE on Wednesday during the ongoing monsoon session. The National Portal has noted 57 lakh applications from across the nation, but only 12.7 lakh completed installations. The total installed capacity under the scheme is 4.8 Gigawatts so far, with 1.4 Gigawatts of that in Gujarat alone. Responding to another question in the Parliament—whether Karnataka is significantly lagging in rolling out the mission—Wednesday, the MNRE noted that Karnataka had completed over 14,000 installations by 31 May, while receiving more than two lakh applications under the scheme. The ministry also informed the Parliament that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka state government in September 2024 to help with solar panel installations. It added that the National Portal had 'simplified' the process of obtaining loans to install rooftop solar panels. States by highest & lowest installations Under the scheme, the target of one crore residential solar rooftop installations is likely to be achieved by the end of March 2027. Union Territories, such as Chandigarh and Daman and Diu, have already met 100 percent of their targets for solar panel installations at government buildings. Currently, the top states in rooftop solar installations are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Kerala. Of those, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Kerala alone account for 10.39 lakh household installations (67 percent). Besides Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Jammu and Kashmir, the states with the lowest installed capacity are in the Northeast—Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, and Sikkim. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: India's solar ambition needs financial vision – ISA must move from commitments to execution
News18
23-07-2025
- Business
- News18
PM Kisan Scheme: How It Works, Benefits And Eligibility
Providing financial assistance to farmers and easing their initial struggles for crop management, the PM Kisan Yojana has had a significant impact on farmers across India. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan) Yojana is a government-sponsored farmer support scheme launched in 2019, providing financial assistance to crop owners and easing their struggles. Under this scheme, eligible farmers receive Rs 6,000 from the Indian government annually in three equal instalments per year. The government aims to cover farming costs and other crop-related expenses, which has raised agricultural productivity and boosted farmers' livelihoods. Apart from the annual financial support of Rs 6,000 that helps farmers buy seeds, fertilisers and equipment for their initial farming activities, the PM Kisan encourages modern agricultural practices. With the financial aid provided, farmers can invest in modern tools and techniques. The assistance from the government also reduces debt, as farmers don't necessarily have to borrow money from unorganised sectors anymore. Such loans often come at high interest rates, causing a serious headache on repayment. Eligibility The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana targets small and marginal farmers, who have a holding of up to two acres of land. The following are the eligibility criteria to become a beneficiary of the scheme: The applicant must be an Indian citizen. The land the farmer owns must be cultivable as per the land records maintained by the government. The scheme also allows landholding farmers' families, who have cultivable land in their names, to apply and fetch the benefits. Certain higher economic status categories are not eligible for the PM Kisan scheme, including institutional landholders and farmer families holding constitutional posts. Also not eligible are active, retired officers or employees of the state and central government, PSUs and other autonomous bodies. It further excludes professional doctors, engineers, and lawyers. How To Apply For PM Kisan While the offline process to apply for the PM Kisan scheme involves visiting the nearest Common Service Centres (CSCs), farmers can now enrol themselves with the scheme online as well. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to proceed. Step 1: Visit the official website of PM Kisan ( Step 2: Click on 'New Farmer Registration' Step 3: Provide your Aadhaar number, mobile number and bank account details. Step 4: Upload all the required documents. The website will ask for the land ownership proof to identify you as an eligible farmer. Step 5: Apply for verification Upon verification, the farmer becomes eligible for financial assistance directly into their registered bank account. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
