Latest news with #SwaminathanCommission
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Farmers protest in Kolhapur demanding loan waiver and cancellation of Shaktipeeth expressway
Kolhapur: In another protest against the Shaktipeeth Expressway, members of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, and Bhumi Adhikar Andolan called for its cancellation and a farm loan waiver on Wednesday. Protesters also demanded for the annulment of the unfair India-US trade agreement, in addition to many other demands. When protesters tried burning an an effigy of USA president Donald Trump during the agitation, a scuffle broke out between the police and them. State secretary of Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha Girish Fonde said: "The capitalists of the country and the international capitalists have now formed an alliance to loot Indian farmers. Due to the India-US trade agreement, farmers will have to flee the country. Farmers' land is being taken away through projects like the Shaktipeeth Expressway. The Swaminathan Commission and the Minimum Support Price have not been implemented. Farmer suicides are increasing. By opposing the action to burn the effigy of Donald Trump, govt has shown that the real father of Indian govt is Donald Trump." Slogans like "Cancel the Shaktipeeth Expressway project," "Cancel India-US trade agreement," "The Minimum Support Price Act must be passed," and "Waive the loan of farmers" were also raised on Wednesday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Take a spoonful on an empty stomach and watch the fat go down the drain gofitlifeguide Click Here Undo Farmer Babasaheb Deokar said: "Farmer suicides have risen during this govt. Farmers will respond to this in unity. Attacks by wild animals on ordinary citizens, farmers, tribals and crops have increased. Govt is destroying forests for mineral wealth in collaboration with industrialists. Farmers and tribals who have been attacked are not being compensated." Protester Sagar Kondekar added: "The National Cooperative Policy 2025 has been brought with the intention of destroying the collective ownership of farmers and the public, and handing over farmers' assets to industrialists. This needs to be withdrawn immediately. Until the govt implements the Minimum Support Price Act and loan waiver for farmers, farmers will protest. If govt does not comply, we will expel the govt. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Concern expressed over free trade agreements pursued by Central government
Leaders of farmers' and workers' unions expressed deep concern that the free trade agreements (FTAs) being pursued by the Narendra Modi-led Central government has been causing severe damage to India's agricultural sector. They asked the public to make the nationwide 'Quit Corporates' protest on August 13 a grand success, following the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions. A joint meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Farmers' Associations District Coordination Committee and the District Struggle Committee of Workers' Unions was held here on Sunday. The meeting was presided over by Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham district president Katta Bhaskar Rao. Addressing the meeting, A.P. Rythu Sangham district secretary K. Srinivas, CITU district general secretary D.N.V.D. Prasad, Congress Kisan Cell district leader Rajanala Rammohan Rao, AITUC district president Reddy Srinivasa Dange, district leaders Puppala Kannababu, and A.P. Agricultural Workers' Union district secretary P. Ramakrishna voiced strong opposition to the FTAs being negotiated by Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump. They alleged that such agreements, similar to past GATT, Dunkel, and WTO deals, primarily benefit corporate companies by facilitating the sale of machinery and marketing of agricultural produce at the expense of farmers' livelihoods. Policies such as scrapping 10-year-old tractors and forcing farmers to buy new ones were denounced as exploitative. The leaders warned that these agreements could destroy agriculture, handover land to corporates, and undermine national sovereignty. They also expressed alarm over the impact of Trump's tariffs on the aquaculture and agriculture sectors. Demands put forth included scrapping Trump's tariffs, ensuring Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all crops, implementing the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, and waiving loans for farmers, tenant farmers, and agricultural laborers. The 'Quit Corporates' protest in Eluru will be held at 10 a.m. on August 13 at the Old Bus Stand Centre, with similar demonstrations planned across various parts of the district.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bharat Bandh: Trade unions stage nationwide strike; why are they protesting and what they're demanding
NEW DELHI: A forum of 10 central trade unions launched a nationwide strike - Bharat Bandh on Wednesday, disrupting key services such as banking, postal operations, electricity, mining, and public transport in several parts of the country. The strike, called as a "general strike," is also backed by rural and agricultural labour organisations. The unions claim to have mobilised nearly 25 crore workers across various sectors to protest against the central government's labour and economic policies, which they argue favour corporate interests over the rights and welfare of workers, farmers, and the poor. Why are the workers protesting? At the heart of the strike is strong opposition to the four new labour codes passed by Parliament, which the unions allege will dilute workers' rights. They argue the codes will extend working hours, weaken protections for forming unions, and make it more difficult to organise or go on strike legally. Another major concern raised by the unions is the increasing recruitment of retired personnel in government departments instead of creating opportunities for young professionals. They cited examples from sectors like the Railways, NMDC Ltd, steel, and education. In a country where 65% of the population is under 35 and youth unemployment is highest among those aged 20 to 25, they argue this trend is particularly damaging. What are the unions demanding? The striking unions have submitted a 17-point charter of demands to labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya, though they claim the government has not engaged meaningfully with their concerns. Their core demands include: Repeal of the four new labour codes An end to contractualisation and privatisation of public sector units Creation of more government jobs and regular recruitment Raising the national minimum wage to Rs 26,000 per month Strengthening rural employment schemes like MGNREGA and introducing similar programmes in urban areas Ensuring minimum support price (MSP) for crops as per the Swaminathan Commission formula (C2 + 50%) Loan waivers for farmers Impact across states All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that reports of widespread participation have come in from states like West Bengal, Kerala, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar. She said that services in banking, postal, electricity, copper and coal mining sectors have been affected, while public transport has also been hit in several regions. In addition, farmers' unions in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan are holding demonstrations in solidarity with the strike.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress challenges Centre to present development record on global indices
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Monday (June 9, 2025) called upon the Narendra Modi-led Central government to present a detailed and globally benchmarked account of its development record over the past 11 years. Speaking at a press conference in Nagpur, Mr. Sapkal criticised the recent publicity campaign launched by the Union government highlighting its achievements and urged that any such account be evaluated through international metrics such as the Human Development Index, the Happiness Index, and the Global Hunger Index, as compiled by institutions like UNICEF, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization. 'The Modi government must answer why it failed to deliver on key promises - including two crore jobs annually, doubling farmers' income, implementing the Swaminathan Commission report, and developing smart cities,' Mr. Sapkal said. Alleging that India's developmental momentum had slowed under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led regime, the Congress leader said, 'Under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the country was on a growth trajectory. But in the last 11 years, we have regressed on multiple fronts.' Responding to questions on the possibility of reunification among factions of the Nationalist Congress Party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Mr. Sapkal said such decisions rested with the respective parties. 'As the Maha Vikas Aghadi, we contested the last two elections together. Similarly, the INDIA bloc stands united against forces undermining democracy and the Constitution. Our alliances will strengthen with those committed to safeguarding these values,' he said. Mr. Sapkal added that alliance-related decisions for the upcoming municipal elections would be taken at the local level in consultation with other coalition partners.
Hindustan Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Paddy MSP hike meagre, says SKM
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has condemned the minimum support price (MSP) that was announced for 14 crops for the current kharif season by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on May 28. The government has increased the paddy rate to ₹2,369 per quintal (100 kg) from last year's ₹2,300. In a statement, the SKM mentioned, 'The MSP is not based on Swaminathan Commission's recommendation of C2+50% formula. Had it been implemented, the paddy MSP should have been ₹3,135 per quintal. The average production in India for paddy is 25-30 quintals per acre and the loss due to non-implementation of Swaminathan Commission's recommendation for farmers on one-acre production will be in the range of ₹19,150 to ₹22,980, which is three times higher than ₹6,000 being provided under the PM Kisan Nidhi,' the SKM leaders stated. The C2 formula of calculating the cost of cultivation includes the cost of capital and the rent on the land to give farmers 50% returns. A senior SKM leader, Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, said the group and the farmer's organisations across the country were consistently demanding implementation of the C2+50% formula for MSP with guaranteed procurement as promised in the election manifesto of the BJP in the 2014 general election. 'However, the BJP-led Union government under PM Modi has been betraying the farmers for the 12th year by not increasing the MSP using the C2+50% formula,' he said. The SKM added the rate of inflation and the rising prices of fertilisers, seed and other input materials, including petroleum products, and the living cost were much higher than the MSP hike. The SKM has also decided to ensure active participation in a nationwide general strike at tehsil and block level on July 9.
