Page 5 - Farmers

Farmers disillusioned with political parties, will continue fight: Tikait

Asserting that farmers are disillusioned with all political parties, prominent farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday said people should follow their conscience by voting for the right candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. Refusing to extend open support to any political party, Tikait said he won't even tell his wife whom to vote for when the model code of conduct is in place but those who know him already know which party or candidate is good for farmers. In an exclusive interaction with PTI, Tikait, one of the key faces of the 2020-21 farmers' protest against the now-scrapped three agri laws, also claimed that people are not voting for the BJP but the party may still win as he alleged manipulation in the process. He claimed that today's BJP is no more just a political party and it has become a front for rich industrialists who are out to grab farmers' lands. Farmers ka moh-bhang ho gaya hai, lekin wo hataash nahin hain (Farmers are disillusioned but they have not lost ...

Farmers' loans will be waived after Cong comes to power, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said loans of farmers will be waived if his party comes to power at the Centre. Addressing a rally in Sakoli in Maharashtra's Bhandara district, he said the main issues plaguing the people of the country were unemployment and inflation, though these were ignored by the media. "Loans of farmers will be waived if the Congress comes to power. People are distressed due to unemployment and inflation. The situation is such that people earning just thousands and those making crores are paying the same GST," he said while attacking the NDA government at the Centre. Gandhi said his party would conduct a caste census after attaining power since it is important for the future of the country. Slamming the Centre's Agnipath programme, in which soldiers called 'Agniveers' are recruited for four years, Gandhi said it would be scrapped since "the Army was not in its favour". Attacking Modi, he said the prime minister, who calls himself an OBC, must tell ..

Direct seeded rice cultivation shows big promise for small farmers

Over 47 per cent of small farmers got higher rice yields through the direct seeded method, shows study

RBI to offer CBDC-R accessible to non-bank payments system operators

Farmers to transact through CBDC-R for inputs, first use case of programmability starts today

Average mustard yields can jump by 35% with right practices: SEA study

The yield increases were realised using innovative farming practices and advanced technology

PM Fasal Bima Yojana a complete failure, used to fatten insurance cos: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is a "complete failure" and has been used to "fatten" the private insurance companies. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's attack on the government came over a media report which claimed that in the heartland of Marathwada, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna --? the Modi government's flagship crop insurance scheme -- has emerged as the "new political tool". The report said increased interference in the scheme's implementation has given rise to cases of major fraud in Maharashtra. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "As the Congress Party has been saying all along, the PM Fasal Bima Yojana is a complete failure, and has been used to fatten the private insurance companies." "The remote-controlled BJP government in Maharashtra has been using it as a political tool as well -- releasing payments primarily to its political supporters," he alleged. The Congress' 'Kisaan NYAY' guarantees include a promise that a

Lok Sabha polls: In Hindi heartland, farmer distress isn't holding BJP back

Crossing some of India's most destitute districts, it's apparent that the reasons for Modi's success are varied. Many appreciate the ruling party's income support schemes

Farmers protest: Delhi Police starts removing barricades on Ghazipur border

Commuters used to face major traffic congestion owing to the barricades. The Delhi Police is removing them so that the road can be accessible for commuters

Majority of millet farmers in Uttarakhand see 10-20% rise in income: Study

Three of four millet-growing farmers in Uttarakhand have seen a 10-20 per cent increase in their annual income owing to the push to millet farming by the Centre and state government, according to a study by the Indian Institute of Management, Kashipur. However, the study -- conducted on more than 2,100 farmers -- found that many of them are still not aware of the increased demand for millet-based products, and are still growing it on a smaller scale for personal consumption only. Greater awareness among millet growers about an increased market demand for their crop could help more and more of them to increase their income, it said. The declaration of 2023 as the International Millet Year has played a crucial role in raising awareness about millet as a sustainable crop worldwide and increased the demand for millet-based products both nationally and globally, the study on "Millet Production in Uttarakhand: An Empirical Analysis of its Socio-Economic Impact and Marketability Challenges

Union govt has no intention of addressing farmers' concerns: Jairam Ramesh

He said that Prime Minister Modi will not break his silence on why, on the one hand, the government waives the loans of the industrialists but is not doing so with the farmers' loans

Farmers gather at Ramleela Maidan; to hold 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat'

Darshan Pal, SKM leader said that ever since they first came to Delhi (in 2020 Kisan Andolan), they have expanded their network. "We have made laws for how we have to work," he said

Lack of non-agri data hinders computation of farmers' income: Niti member

The lack of data on cultivators and their income from other sources has become a hindrance in determining whether farmers' income has actually doubled or not, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand said, pointing out that they are earning more from non-agricultural sources. The Niti Aayog member further said that prices of agricultural commodities can not be fixed by a law as it has serious implications, which are neither in the interest of the agriculture sector nor individual farmers. "The government had fixed the goal of doubling farmers' income so that we make more efforts. There is a need for this assessment, where we are in terms of this goal. (But) the required data is not available with us," Chand told PTI in an interview. In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government set a highly ambitious target of doubling farmers' incomes by 2022. An inter-ministerial committee on "Doubling of Farmers' Income" was set up in April 2016 to recommend strategies to achieve this goal. The ..

Chhattisgarh launches scheme to provide input assistance to farmers

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday launched 'Krishak Unnati Yojna' to provide input assistance to farmers and released Rs 13,320 crore to 24.72 lakh cultivators. The scheme was launched at a function at Saryu Prasad Agrawal stadium in Balod district. Speaking on the occasion, Sai said another guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been fulfilled with the launch of this scheme. Input assistance worth Rs 13,320 crore was transferred to the bank accounts of 24.75 lakh farmers under the Krishak Unnati Yojana, he said. Of these cultivators, 24.72 lakh sold paddy this year in the kharif marketing season 2023-24 at minimum support price, and they were paid the difference amount of Rs 13,289 crore, the chief minister said. Similarly, more than Rs 31 crore was paid to 2,829 farmers producing paddy seeds through the seed corporation, he said. "The state government fulfilled its promise to farmers, by disbursing pending paddy bonus of two years (2014-15 and 2015-16

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3,483 violence-hit farmers to get compensation in 1st phase: Manipur CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday said 3,483 violence-hit farmers in the state have been selected for the "first phase of compensatory crop package". During the launch of the programme, Singh said, "In all, 3,483 have been selected as beneficiaries after verification by deputy commissioners. Another 2,399 have issues related with documents including Aadhar authentication and bank documents and have been sent for reverification by the DCs concerned." "The Centre has also allotted Rs 38.60 crore for the affected farmers out of which Rs 18.37 crore has been released for the first phase" Singh said. Churachandpur district has 1,137 affected farmers followed by Bishnupur (1,031), Imphal East (360) and Kangpokpi (272), he added.

Farmers' unions to stage nationwide 'Rail Roko' protest today, says Pandher

He added that as part of the protest, hundreds of farmers will sit on railway tracks at several places

Country's growth can't be imagined without development of farmers: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the country's growth cannot be imagined without the development of farmers and villages, and asserted that the Modi government was standing shoulder to shoulder with the cultivators. Addressing a mega farmers' rally at Government Science College ground in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur, he also targeted the previous Congress dispensation in the state, accusing it of indulging in corruption and derailing its development. "...I am the son of a farmer and hail from a village. Farmers can yield gold from the soil with their efforts and hard work. My government is standing shoulder to shoulder with farmers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre has been taking several steps for the welfare of farmers," the minister said. Without the development of farmers and villages, the growth of the country cannot be imagined, he said. "In America, one bag of urea fertilisers is available for Rs 3,000...India is the only where urea is being provided .

UP waives electricity bills of farmers with private tube wells from April 1

In a major decision, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to waive electricity bills of farmers with private tube wells with retrospective effect from April 1, 2023. The decision taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will benefit around 1.5 crore farmers, an official release said. The government has provided Rs 1,800 crore in the 2024-25 budget for implementation of the scheme. Furthermore, the government has put forth a proposal for a scheme aimed at assisting farmers with outstanding electricity bills predating April 1, 2023, in bill settlement without accruing interest and offering them convenient installment options. Energy Minister A K Sharma said through this decision the government has kept its promise of providing 100 per cent exemption from power tariffs to the farmers owning private tube wells in the state. A total of 14.78 lakh tubewells will benefit from the decision of the Cabinet. According to Sharma, on average, 8-10

Farmers can sell sand that got deposited in fields during floods: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said farmers can sell sand which got deposited in their fields along the Sutlej and Beas rivers during last year's floods. Mann stated this on the second day of the budget session in the Punjab assembly after Independent MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh raised the issue. The legislator from Sultanpur Lodhi said that four to five feet of sand got deposited in agriculture fields in some villages of his assembly constituency following floods. The chief minister said the state government will allow farmers to sell up to four feet of sand that got deposited in their fields during the floods last year. "This sand will belong to the landowners and the state government will not charge any tax on it," said Mann, adding that a notification in this regard will be issued soon. Meanwhile, while participating in the discussion on the governor's address, Punjab Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the AAP government created a "record of development

Goyal launches platform to enable loans against produce to farmers

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday launched a digital platform to facilitate farmers in getting loans against their produce stored in registered godowns and said it would help boost the farming community's income and make agriculture an attractive proposition. The minister also announced that the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) would soon lower the security deposit paid by the warehouse owner to 1 per cent of the value of the stock from the current 3 per cent. At an event here, Goyal launched the digital gateway named 'e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi', which aims to facilitate farmers in obtaining post-harvest loans from banks against their stocks stored in the WDRA registered warehouses. The loans are provided against electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (e-NWRs). At present, there are more than 5,500 registered warehouses under WDRA, while the total number of agri-warehouses is estimated at around 1 lakh. The minister emphasised the need to .