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The Hindu
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Ryots' Commission chairman urges Centre to link NREGS with farm operations
HYDERABAD Telangana Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Commission chairman M. Kodanda Reddy has urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to link the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with agricultural work to support small and marginal farmers. In a letter handed over personally during the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan in Hyderabad on Monday, said over 85% of India's farmers fall into the small and marginal category and face challenges like high input costs, lack of mechanisation and labour shortages during peak seasons. who held the agriculture portfolio in the Congress governments in combined Andhra Pradesh during 1989-94, said integrating MGNREGS with farming could ease the labour cost burden and ensure timely operations such as sowing, weeding, harvesting and post-harvest activities. The move would also provide meaningful employment and skill development for MGNREGS workers, while promoting small tools and suitable mechanisation through a dedicated scheme. In a separate letter, he requested Central funding for the revival of Telangana's minor irrigation tanks under schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (per drop more crop), the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, or a special package for restoration of water bodies. Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao also submitted letters to the Union Minister, seeking a regional office of the Coconut Development Board in Telangana, empanelment of oil palm nursery suppliers, a minimum price of ₹25,000 per tonne for oil palm bunches, a review of import duty cuts on crude edible oil and ₹100 crore for the State's horticultural university.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
PM Modi urges states to align development plans with ‘Viksit Bharat 2047' vision
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on states to align regional development plans with the national 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision during the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting on Saturday, as Opposition leaders pressed demands for fiscal autonomy and resolution of resource disputes. Thirty-one states and Union Territories attended the meeting, while Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, and Puducherry stayed away. NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam, addressing the media after the meeting, said, 'We had 31 out of the 36 states and UTs participating. This is the highest ever participation of a Governing Council of NITI Aayog. That actually shows that people came with a very positive bent of mind. The five states which were missing…we were informed in advance.' Last year, 26 states and UTs attended, with 10 absent. The council unanimously endorsed 'Operation Sindoor', the military operation following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Discussions centered on Modi's July 2024 call for states to draft individualised vision documents under the 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat' theme. Subrahmanyam further said, 'The agenda for the meeting was two items apart from an action taken report. Firstly, the theme of the meeting itself and the first item on the agenda was 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat'. The whole idea is that in the last Governing Council, the Prime Minister had given a call for all states to prepare their own state visions, making their states develop so that they have visions which will then aggregate into a larger vision for the nation. That is what drove the agenda for the last one year and that's why it became the primary theme of Governing Council meeting...' Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu proposed three sub-groups to accelerate development: boosting GDP via public-private partnerships, population management strategies, and tech-driven governance. Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami urged the Centre to create a national drainage policy for urban areas and include 'lift irrigation' in the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for hill states. Modi singled out Andhra Pradesh's reforms as a model. 'The Prime Minister lauded the state's vision document and suggested others adopt similar strategies,' said officials familiar with the discussions. Opposition leaders countered with demands for fiscal autonomy. Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin said, 'I demanded a rightful 50% share for states in central taxes. Tamil Nadu currently receives only 33.16% instead of the committed 41%.' He called for a Cauvery River conservation project mirroring the 'Clean Ganga' initiative and a dedicated urban mission for the state. Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy proposed a national task force under Modi to develop six metropolitan cities, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. 'Hyderabad alone contributes 2.5% to national GDP despite its smaller size. A coordinated strategy for these cities will catalyze job creation and elevate India's global standing,' he said. Reddy cited ₹2.18 lakh crore in recent investment commitments and pushed for Centre-state collaboration to build a 'resilient, inclusive India.' Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann rejected the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. 'Punjab has no surplus water to share. The Bhakra Beas Management Board's decision to release 8,500 cusecs to Haryana violates Punjab's rights,' he said. Mann demanded the Centre revoke CISF deployment at Nangal dam and reinstate Punjab's 60% representation in Chandigarh's civil posts, calling recent service rule changes 'a betrayal.' Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren flagged ₹1.4 lakh crore in unpaid mining dues by central government-run companies. 'Timely release of this amount would accelerate developmental and welfare initiatives,' he said. Soren sought amendments to the Coal Bearing Areas Act to ensure mined land returns to Jharkhand post-operation and proposed developing Sahibganj as a cargo hub. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said ahead of the meeting, 'I will be highlighting the concerns and development priorities of Jammu & Kashmir and advocating for greater support to address the region's unique challenges.' Congress leader Jairam Ramesh dismissed the meeting as a 'diversion.' 'What sort of developed India will it be if social harmony is destroyed, institutions undermined, and economic disparities grow?' he said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, absent from the meeting, has advocated for fiscal federalism in such forums in the past. The meeting reviewed progress on the 'Viksit Bharat 2047' roadmap, with states reiterating demands for higher tax devolution and project-specific funding. The 15th Finance Commission's recommendation of a 41% tax share for states remains unmet, with many reporting lower allocations. Tamil Nadu and Punjab raised inter-state river disputes, while Telangana and Jharkhand focused on urban-centric growth and resource rights.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Odisha transfers ₹1025 crore to 51 lakh farmers' account on Akshaya Tritiya
The Mohan Majhi Government has transferred ₹1025 crore to bank accounts of 51 lakh farmers under Chief Minister Kisan Yojna on occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on Wednesday (April 30, 2025). At a State-level celebration of Akshaya Tritiya, marking the beginning of the new crop season, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced the transfer of financial assistance to 50,16,938 small and marginal farmers, 49,482 landless families, and 2,382 tribal farmer families for the 2025 crop season. For the first time, the scheme will also cover 25,532 urban farmers. 'This advance support will help farmers begin cultivation on time,' said the Odisha CM. Reflecting on the broader national progress in agriculture, Mr. Majhi said the country, once unable to feed its population of 33 crore, is now self-sufficient in foodgrain and agri-produce, and has even emerged as an exporter. He credited this transformation to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014, saying agriculture and farmer welfare have gained new direction and vision under his tenure. 'There has been unprecedented growth under schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and various agricultural infrastructure initiatives,' he noted. Highlighting the importance of agriculture to Odisha's economy, the Chief Minister pointed out that over 60% of the State's population depends on agriculture and allied activities, contributing 22% to the State's overall growth. Commending the resilience and hard work of Odisha's farmers, Mr. Majhi said they had played a key role in transforming the state from grain-deficient to grain-surplus. He also urged them to adopt climate-resilient farming practices to secure long-term sustainability. Taking a dig at the previous government, Mr. Majhi said, 'unlike the earlier regime that merely passed a resolution in the Assembly on Minimum Support Price, our government has acted. We fulfilled our promise and delivered an MSP of ₹3,100 per quintal for paddy. What was lacking then was willpower. Today, we have the will to work for farmers' welfare.' Looking ahead, the Chief Minister announced that the government has set a target to bring 15 lakh hectares under irrigation in the next five years, with an investment of around ₹1,00,000 crore. He also said steps are being taken to establish a cold storage facility in every subdivision to reduce post-harvest losses.
