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The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Cut in import duty to discourage ryots from taking up oil palm plantation: Tummala
HYDERABAD The Centre's move to reduce import duty on palm oil (all edible oils) from 27.5% to 16.5% would discourage farmers from taking up oil palm cultivation, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao said on Saturday. He requested the Centre to review its decision in the interests of farmers and for promotion of edible oil plantation crop to protect local farmers' interests. On Friday, the Centre reduced customs duty on the crude palm, sunflower and soya oils to bring down the import duty. Mr. Rao stated that the oil palm farmers had been demanding for a long time to increase the import duty from 27.5% to 40% to make their cultivation of the edible oil crop remunerative. However, the Centre had reduced the duty in the name of bringing down the food prices. The move would bring down the prices of oil palm bunches, presently at ₹21,000 per tonne affecting the returns drastically. The cut in import duty would make farmers who were planning to take to oilpalm cultivation have second thoughts, would affect the extent of the plantation crop and would become a hurdle in the plans to achieve self reliance in the matter of edible oils. He addressed a letter to the Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal and Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan to review the Centre's decision. On the green manure seed supply, the minister said over 56,262 quintals of seed was purchased by nearly 1.18 lakh farmers so far against the 89,302 quintals positioned in Agros Rythu Seva Kendras and PACSs. Against the indent placed for 'jeeluga' seed (sesbania), the National Seed Corporation had supplied 750 kits (5 kg each) of 5 varieties of green manure used in other States. It was ready to supply another 5,000 kits containing one-kg each of jeeluga, jute, cluster beans and maize and half-kg each of jowar and cowpea seed used in other States as green manure to improve the soil fertility. The cost of each kit is ₹635.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Officials told to take measures to achieve 15% growth rate in allied agricultural sectors in A.P.
Andhra Pradesh Minister for Agriculture, Cooperation, Marketing, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries Kinjarapu Atchannaidu has asked the officials of agriculture and allied departments to promote not only quality paddy cultivation but also horticultural crops. 'Take measures to achieve 15% growth rate in allied agricultural sectors,' he said during a video conference with the officials of agriculture and allied departments held at the Secretariat to assess the kharif preparedness. He stressed the need for encouraging natural farming and crop rotation while reducing the use of fertilizers. The farmers should be encouraged to shift their attention from traditional crops to horticultural and commercial crops. New technologies and artificial intelligence should be introduced on a large scale to reduce cultivation costs in allied agricultural sectors, increase quality yields, and expand marketing facilities. The Minister called for robust arrangements so that farmers face no difficulties during the kharif season. He instructed that all types of seeds and fertilizers required for kharif be made available to farmers in a timely manner. 'Implement natural farming fully in the regions where it is currently practised and expand it gradually to other areas. Soil testing reports must be provided to farmers. Applications related to agricultural mechanisation should be resolved within four to five days. The 50% subsidy under this scheme is being provided in advance, and officials must focus on ensuring the farmer's share is arranged through bank loans,' the Minister said. The officials should stay alert to prevent the sale of spurious seeds and fertilizers. Special attention should be paid to traceability (to track the history, location, and application of agricultural products as they move through the supply chain—from farm to fork), certification, volume, and marketing aspects, he said. The Minister emphasised the promotion of micro-irrigation and achieving 100% targets. All services must be made available to farmers in time through the Rythu Seva Kendras (Farmer Service Centres). 'All tenant farmers should be issued CCRS cards and be made eligible for bank loans,' he said. B. Rajashekar, Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) said that the government pinned high hopes on developing the primary sector. 'Hence, a 15% growth rate target has been set for the allied agricultural sectors,' he said and urged all officials to work together to achieve the target. He emphasised that crops and yields should be optimised in line with local conditions and opportunities, making extensive use of new technologies and artificial intelligence. Special apps should be developed for this purpose, he said.
Hans India
13-05-2025
- Hans India
New high-tech e-passports to boost security, identification rolled out in key Indian cities
New Delhi: India on Tuesday officially launched in 13 cities the first phase of its next-generation e-passport initiative, combining advanced electronic technology with the traditional paper passport format to enhance identity verification and strengthen travel document security. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this project began under a pilot phase in conjunction with the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, which was initiated in April last year. The MEA confirmed that this is the first stage of a nationwide implementation expected to reach all Passport Seva Kendras across the country by mid-2025. The e-passports are currently being issued in several cities, including Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, Ranchi, and Delhi. Tamil Nadu, notably, began issuing e-passports on March 3, 2025, at the Chennai Regional Passport Office. By March 22, 2025, the state had already issued 20,729 e-passports. These high-tech passports are distinctly identifiable from regular ones, featuring a gold-coloured symbol printed below the front cover. Internally, they include an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and antenna within the inlay. The integration of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a critical aspect, ensuring secure storage of biometric and personal data while verifying its accuracy and authenticity. The MEA highlighted that one of the primary advantages of e-passports lies in their enhanced data protection capabilities. This advanced technology helps preserve the integrity of the holder's information, significantly reducing the risk of tampering or identity forgery. It also addresses the growing concern over the fabrication of fake passports, which has been a challenge during International Border surveillance. While the introduction of e-passports marks a major step forward in passport modernisation, the MEA has clarified that switching to the new format is not mandatory. All existing passports issued by the Government of India will remain valid until they reach their respective expiration dates.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
India launches high-tech e-passports; all you need to know
In a bid to improve security and identification processes on a global scale, India has introduced e-passports which are now available at various cities across the country. This marks a significant step in upscaling and modernising the travel documentation process. As per reports, the new e-passports have integrated electronic features with traditional passport booklets design. Rolling of e-passports is part of a bigger effort under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0. This process already went live on April 1, 2024, as per the Ministry of External Affairs. What does e-passports contain? As per reports, the new e-passport features a built-in antenna and an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip. These are both within the passport's cover. This advanced design allows secure storage of the holder's personal and biometric data . What distinguishes e-passports from standard ones is the gold-coloured symbol on the front cover. The prime component of this technology is the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which ensures the authenticity of the data stored on the chip. PKI also helps prevent unauthorised access, verifies data accuracy, and protects against identity fraud. Some of the prime benefits of e-passports are: High level of data protection The embedded chip minimises the risk of tampering, forgery, and identity theft Useful for improving the efficiency and reliability of identity checks during international travel The secure chip stores important personal information and biometric identifiers, which is more difficult to replicate or alter Cities where e-passports are available now As of now, e-passports are being issued in: Nagpur Bhubaneswar Jammu Goa Shimla Raipur Amritsar Jaipur Chennai Hyderabad Surat Ranchi Delhi The government aims to cover all Passport Seva Kendras across the country by mid-2025. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Incredible: The world's toughest smartwatch designed for the military Indestructible Smartwatch Undo However, in Tamil Nadu, the Regional Passport Office in Chennai started issuing e-passports on March 3, 2025, which is a commendable feat. As of March 22, 2025, over 20,700 e-passports had already been distributed in the state, demonstrating a positive response from the public. What will happen to old/traditional passports? You don't have to worry if you don't have an e-passport as the Ministry of External Affairs has said that existing/traditional passports will be valid until their expiration dates. There is no mandatory requirement for citizens to switch to e-passports immediately. The transition will be gradual and optional. The introduction of e-passports only shows a progressive step toward adopting secure, technology driven public services which saves time, secure identity and streamline international travel for Indian citizens. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
