Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said portfolio allocation of his ministry would take place either later in the day, or on Sunday, reported the PTI. He was speaking at a press conference here at the end of the one-week-long winter session of the Maharashtra legislature. "Portfolio distribution can take place by tonight or tomorrow morning," CM Devendra Fadnavis said. Earlier, minister Bharat Gogawale had said the allocation of portfolios of the Mahayuti government was expected during the day. CM Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sworn in on December 5, and 39 ministers were inducted ahead of the Winter Session on December 15. However, portfolio allocation in the Mahayuti government is yet to take place. The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), secured a landslide victory in the November 20 assembly polls by winning 230 out of 288 seats. The BJP led with 132 seats, followed by Shinde's Shiv Sena with 57 and Pawar's NCP getting 41. Results of the elections were declared on November 23. Leaders of the Mahayuti alliance were sworn in as cabinet ministers in the Maharashtra government during a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur on last Sunday. BJP-led alliance ministry in Maharashtra was expanded with 39 ministers being sworn in, taking its strength to 42. In the expansion, BJP got 19 ministerial berths, followed by 11 to Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and nine for Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party. While 33 legislators were sworn in as cabinet ministers, six took oath as ministers of state. Governor P C Radhakrishnan administered the oath to the new ministers at the ceremony held on the eve of the state legislature's winter session that began in Nagpur on December 16. Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar had taken oath in Mumbai on December 5. BJP’s state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, along with Ashish Shelar, Ganesh Naik, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Pankaja Munde, Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Chandrakant Patil and Nitesh Rane were among those who took the oath. (with PTI inputs)
21 December,2024 08:02 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asserted that the state's Gadchiroli district will be Naxal-free in the next three years and Gadchiroli town will be the 'steel city' of India, reported the PTI. Replying to the debate on the opposition-sponsored last week motion in the legislative assembly in Nagpur, Devendra Fadnavis listed several infrastructure projects across the state and farmer-centric initiatives. He said the northern part of the Gadchiroli district, bordering Telangana and Chhattisgarh, has been rid of Naxals and is on the path of development. Naxals have either been killed or surrendered, he said. About 1,500 youth from the district, which is in the state's Vidarbha region, have joined the police force of which 150 are from families of Naxals, the CM said, according to the PTI. "There has been no recruitment by Naxals from Maharashtra. In the next three years, Naxalism will be completely eradicated from Gadchiroli," he said. Devendra Fadnavis said capacity building for Gadchiroli, about 900 km from Mumbai, to make it the "steel city" of India is in full swing. He said Gondia and Gadchiroli are being linked through the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. Since 2022, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed and BJP-led Mahayuti took charge of the state, 47 projects and investments worth Rs 1.23 lakh crore have come to the Vidarbha region, he said. The CM called the new regime a continuation of the government of 2022 when his present deputy Eknath Shinde was the CM. "Only responsibilities have changed. The development works (in the state) are a continuation of the efforts in the last two and a half years. Collectively, we have taken all decisions," said Fadnavi, whose party BJP has Shiv Sena and NCP as partners in the government, according to the PTI. The government is focused on the river-linking and irrigation projects and industrial development of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions, he said. "After Pune, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna belt is the next industrial magnate. It has already been announced that the Vande Bharat coaches will be manufactured at the Latur coach factory," he said, as per the PTI. In Marathwada, 34 projects, including a Toyota-Kirloskar venture, with an investment potential of Rs 72,839 crore and capable of generating 40,000 direct and 1 lakh indirect jobs, have come since 2022, said the CM. Fadnavis told the House that his government would continue to take Maharashtra on the path of development and ensure justice for the state's 14 crore population. "All our election promises will be fulfilled," he assured. The CM said a bonus of Rs 20,000 per hectare for paddy growers and Rs 5,000 per hectare for soybean and cotton farmers have been provided. Soybean procurement, which will continue till January 12, has started at 557 centres and 23.68 lakh tonnes of the grain legume crop have been procured so far, he said. At present, the rate of soybean is Rs 4,892 per quintal, he said. In 2024-25, cotton has been grown on 40 lakh hectares and a production of 427 lakh quintals is expected, the CM said. "CCI (Cotton Corporation of India) has opened procurement centres but the market rate is attractive at Rs 7,200-7,500. Hence, farmers are selling directly to traders," he said. The Mumbai-Goa highway work has been taken up on a war footing, he said. "The permission to raise the height of Almatti dam from 519.60 metres to 524 metres was given to Karnataka in 2013. We are keeping a watch and will ensure that people and farmers in the Sangli and Kolhapur districts do not suffer due to flooding," he said, the news agency reported on Saturday. (with PTI inputs)
21 December,2024 07:51 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentThe Opposition parties in Maharashtra has alleged that the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature was held only for formality as ministers couldn't resolve issues of farmers and others in the absence of portfolios, according to the PTI. Addressing a press conference on the sixth and concluding day of the session in Nagpur on Saturday, the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve, said that the state government only highlighted old schemes and promises in the legislature. "Though the Mahayuti government was formed 15 days back and the cabinet was also expanded, portfolios are yet to be allocated. This session saw ministers sitting in the legislature without ministries. This session was just a formality," Ambadas Danve added, as per the PTI. He said the government failed to reassure farmers, workers, and industries. Referring to violence in Parbhani city over the desecration of a replica of the Constitution, the suspicious death of an accused in judicial custody, the murder of a sarpanch in Beed, and the attack on a Marathi family in Kalyan, Ambadas Danve said the Maharashtra government has failed to maintain law and order. "The main accused in the Beed incident is absconding even as people of Maharashtra know who is shielding him," Danve said in an apparent reference to a minister from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He alleged the government didn't announce measures to alleviate the plight of cotton, soybean and paddy growers. "The supplementary demands tabled in the session were meant for regular expenditure. No money was allocated for carrying out development works. The government announced irrigation projects for Vidarbha region but didn't release any funds," Danve alleged, the news agency reported. He said the opposition parties raised issues like corruption in state-run MSRTC and the bogus medicines scam. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the opposition raised issues concerning farmers, inflation, and deteriorating law and order during the session.He claimed that 65 per cent of newly-annointed ministers are tainted. He wondered whether the Parbhani incident was state "sponsored"? "The chief minister's reply in the legislatures gave the impression that he was shielding the accused in the Beed and Parbhani incidents. He sounded like their counsel," the Congress leader alleged, the PTI reported. The government had said it would announce a loan waiver for farmers but didn't keep its word, Nana Patole said. "This government doesn't work for farmers, youths, and poor but it works for selected businessmen," he alleged. Earlier in the day, opposition parties protested on the premises of Vidhan Bhavan over the alleged fake medicines supply scam. Opposition members held placards and raised slogans against the Mahayuti government on the steps of the state legislature on the last day of the winter session. The six-day session witnessed uproar over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar, and Parbhani and Beed incidents. (with PTI inputs)
21 December,2024 07:41 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra legislative assembly was prorogued on Saturday after the end of the winter session and the budget session of the Maharashtra legislature will commence in Mumbai on March 3, reported the PTI. The prorogation order issued by Maharashtra governor C P Radhakrishnan was read out by Speaker Rahul Narwekar. The six-day winter session witnessed uproar over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar, violence in Parbhani city in central Maharashtra over the desecration of a replica of the Constitution, and the murder of a sarpanch in Beed. The first session of the 15th assembly, held after elections, saw six sittings at an average attendance of 72.90 per cent, said Narwekar. The total duration of the assembly proceedings was 46.26 hours with a daily sitting average of 7.44 hours. Proceedings of only 10 minutes were wasted, he said. The speaker said 13 out of 15 reintroduced bills were passed in the assembly, a bill was sent to the joint committee and another is pending.The legislative council passed four bills, as per the PTI. The speaker said five out of 78 newly elected MLAs were members of the legislative council. Maharashtra legislature session wasted as ministers sans portfolios kept mum: Opposition Meanwhile, the Opposition parties alleged on Saturday that the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature was held only for formality as ministers couldn't resolve issues of farmers and others in the absence of portfolios, according to the PTI. Addressing a press conference on the sixth and concluding day of the session in Nagpur, the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve, said the government only highlighted old schemes and promises in the legislature. "Though the Mahayuti government was formed 15 days back and the cabinet was also expanded, portfolios are yet to be allocated. This session saw ministers sitting in the legislature without ministries. This session was just a formality," Danve added, as per the PTI. He said the government failed to reassure farmers, workers, and industries. Referring to violence in Parbhani city over the desecration of a replica of the Constitution, the suspicious death of an accused in judicial custody, the murder of a sarpanch in Beed, and the attack on a Marathi family in Kalyan, Danve said the government has failed to maintain law and order. "The main accused in the Beed incident is absconding even as people of Maharashtra know who is shielding him," Danve said in an apparent reference to a minister from NCP. He alleged the government didn't announce measures to alleviate the plight of cotton, soybean and paddy growers. "The supplementary demands tabled in the session were meant for regular expenditure. No money was allocated for carrying out development works. The government announced irrigation projects for Vidarbha region but didn't release any funds," Danve alleged, the news agency reported. He said the opposition parties raised issues like corruption in state-run MSRTC and the bogus medicines scam. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the opposition raised issues concerning farmers, inflation, and deteriorating law and order during the session.He claimed that 65 per cent of newly-annointed ministers are tainted. He wondered whether the Parbhani incident was state "sponsored"? "The chief minister's reply in the legislatures gave the impression that he was shielding the accused in the Beed and Parbhani incidents. He sounded like their counsel," the Congress leader alleged, the PTI reported. The government had said it would announce a loan waiver for farmers but didn't keep its word, Patole said. (with PTI inputs)
21 December,2024 07:32 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentAn 89-year-old mahant has been booked for allegedly raping his disciple in north Delhi's Timarpur area, police said on Saturday. A complaint reporting the alleged crime was filed on December 13 against Raja Ram Das of Kabir Mandir, Lucknow Road, Timarpur. "In this regard, a case under 376 (rape) of IPC has been registered against Das," the police said in a statement. In her complaint, the victim, a 51-year-old woman, alleged that Das, a mahant of Satguru Raja Ram Sahab Dharmik Trust Run by Kabir Vigyan Aashram in Timarpur, raped her on the night of April 14 in his ashram, police said in the statement. Das is also the president of Satguru Kabir Mandir Prachar Samiti in Timarpur, it said. Meanwhile, Das also filed a complaint against the victim and five other people alleging that they tried to grab the ashram by illegal means, an officer said.Inquiry into both matters is underway. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 December,2024 06:49 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIBahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati on Saturday called for a nationwide demonstration on December 24 against Union Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar, ANI reported. Mayawati in a series of posts on X, said that Shah's remarks have hurt the sentiments of the people. "Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the author of the original book in the form of the super-humanistic and welfare constitution for the self-respect and human rights of the Dalits, deprived and other neglected people of the country, is as revered as God. His disrespect by Amit Shah hurts the hearts of the people," she said. 1. देश के दलित, वंचित व अन्य उपेक्षितों के आत्म-सम्मान व मानवीय हकूक के लिए अति-मानवतावादी व कल्याणकारी संविधान के रूप में असली ग्रंथ के रचयिता बाबा साहेब डा. भीमराव अम्बेडकर भगवान की तरह परमपूजनीय हैं। उनका श्री अमित शाह द्वारा किया गया अनादर लोगों के दिलों को आहत पहुँचाता है। — Mayawati (@Mayawati) December 21, 2024 She further demanded that the Home Minister take back his statement. "People from all sections of society in the country are quite agitated, angry by the words spoken by him in the Parliament regarding such a great man. Ambedkarite BSP has demanded him to take back his statement and repent, which has not been implemented till now," Mayawati said. "In such a situation, if the demand is not met, then BSP has talked about raising voice across the country. That is why now the party has decided to hold a nationwide movement on December 24 in support of this demand. On that day, a completely peaceful dharna demonstration will be held at all the district headquarters of the country," she added. The BSP chief claimed that her party is devoted to Babasaheb Ambedkar, who dedicated his life to securing the rights of the Dalits and Bahujans, including reservation, and enabling them to live independently and with dignity, ANI cited. "Therefore, if Congress, BJP etc., cannot respect Baba Saheb from their heart, then they should not disrespect him either. The day SC, ST and OBC classes got legal rights in the Constitution due to Baba Saheb, they also got heaven for seven lives," she added. Amit Shah on Wednesday reportedly said in Rajya Sabha, "If they (opposition) had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, they would have got heaven for seven lives." On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi and other MPs from the INDIA alliance led demonstrations in the Parliament complex, demanding an apology and resignation of the Union Home Minister for his remarks on former law minister BR Ambedkar, ANI reported. When a fight broke out between the two groups, injuring two BJP MPs, INDIA bloc MPs protested on the grounds of Parliament. INDIA bloc MPs protested on the grounds of Parliament when a fight broke out between the two groups, injuring two BJP MPs Two BJP MPs, Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, suffered head injuries during the altercation on the Parliament grounds. Both parties have claimed that their party members had been pushed around. In addition, Delhi police have filed a formal complaint (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi for the event. (With ANI inputs)
21 December,2024 05:36 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra's Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that the grand memorial for Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar at Indu Mill in Dadar area of Mumbai is set to be completed by December 2025, an official statement said. Shinde assured the state legislature that the Mahayuti government is working relentlessly to develop Maharashtra into a prosperous and progressive state. While addressing the state legislative council, Shinde highlighted the government's efforts in improving law and order, boosting industrial growth, and expanding irrigation facilities in underdeveloped regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada. He also discussed plans for creating more jobs, promoting welfare schemes, and tackling challenges in key sectors, the statement said on Saturday. Shinde stated that the government has made significant strides in improving the state's law and order situation, with an increase in the number of crimes being solved. He stated that there is no place for lawlessness in the state, and any form of violence or exploitation will be met with strict action. "We are committed to improving the quality of life for ordinary citizens and creating an environment of happiness and peace," he said. Industrial Growth and Employment in Vidarbha and Marathwada Discussing industrial development, Shinde highlighted Maharashtra's success in attracting foreign investment. He noted that 52 per cent of India's total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) came to Maharashtra alone. Between 2022 and 2024, the state attracted a massive Rs 2.44 lakh crore in foreign investments, leading to the creation of over 2 lakh jobs. He further detailed ongoing projects in Vidarbha and Marathwada, stating that Vidarbha received Rs 1.23 lakh crore in investments across 47 projects, generating 61,454 jobs. Marathwada has seen investments worth Rs 74,646 crore across 38 projects, which will result in the creation of 41,325 jobs. Shinde added that the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is developing new industrial areas in both Vidarbha and Marathwada. As part of an industrial group development mission, 303 projects are being developed, of which 95 have already begun, with plans to support nearly 1 lakh jobs. Naxalism in Tribal Areas Deputy CM Shinde also touched on the government's success in curbing Naxalism in tribal areas, particularly in Gadchiroli, which he has served as a guardian minister. He announced plans to eradicate Naxalism from the region by March 2025. "With new projects and job opportunities, the mindset of the local population has changed. The results were evident in the record voter turnout in recent elections," Shinde said, according to the official statement. Water and Irrigation Projects In the crucial area of irrigation, Shinde stated that the government is working on bridging the irrigation deficit in the state. By June 2024, Maharashtra aims to create 14.4 lakh hectares of irrigation capacity. The Vanaganga-Nalganga river-linking project will provide irrigation to 3.71 lakh hectares in Vidarbha's six districts. The "Jalyukt Shivar" program, aimed at enhancing water availability, has selected 5,852 villages in its second phase, with 72,000 works completed out of a total of 1.5 lakh planned. Shinde also announced a special allocation of Rs 600 crore for the current year. Electricity and Solar Projects for Farmers Maharashtra has become the first state in India to provide free electricity to 44 lakh farmers, the statement stated. Shinde discussed the government's "Solar Energy Agricultural Scheme" to provide continuous, daytime electricity to farmers. The project, which is set to be completed by June 2026, will benefit over 32 lakh farmers. Support for Soybean and Cotton Farmers Eknath Shinde also assured farmers that the state government is committed to providing relief for soybean and cotton producers. For soybean procurement, the government has established 586 centers, with 1.89 lakh metric tons of soybeans purchased so far, the highest in the last 15 years. He also mentioned the government's ongoing procurement of cotton, with 122 centers set up by the Cotton Corporation of India, the statement said.
21 December,2024 05:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDespite police permission being denied, top Telugu actor Allu Arjun attended the theatre where 'Pushpa-2' was screened on December 4, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy charged on Saturday. Even after the death of a woman in a stampede, the actor did not leave the cinema hall, prompting the police to force him out, CM alleged. Responding to the issue after AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi raised it in the Assembly, Reddy, referring to videos in circulation, found fault with Allu Arjun for holding a roadshow and waving to the crowds in spite of the heavy crowd. Reddy further said the theatre management gave a letter to the police on December 2 seeking security for the visit of top actors and others on December 4. However, the police rejected the application, citing difficulties in crowd management. Before entering the theatre and exiting, the actor stood through the sunroof of his car and waved to the crowds leading to thousands of fans jostling to get a glimpse of him, he said. He slammed film personalities for making a beeline for Allu Arjun's residence to meet him after his arrest but not showing empathy to visit the boy who is undergoing treatment in hospital after suffering injuries in the incident. "I appeal to the top film personalities that they should not be inhuman," he said. He also said there won't be any special privileges when untoward incidents like death in a stampede happen and said the government would not spare those who troubled common people. A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised on December 4 during a stampede-like situation at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad when thousands of fans jostled to have a glimpse of the actor at the premiere of the blockbuster 'Pushpa 2,'. Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 December,2024 04:54 PM IST | Hyderabad | PTIArvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced on Saturday the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship for Dalit students to pursue higher education, ANI reported. Kejriwal stated that under this scholarship scheme, the Delhi government will cover the expenses of Dalit students after they get admission to top universities across the world. Government employees from the Dalit community are also eligible for this scholarship. Addressing a public event, Kejriwal said, "I want to ensure that no person from the Dalit community is deprived of higher education, for this, I am announcing the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship. Now any student from the Dalit community who wants to study in top universities across the world, the Delhi government will bear their expenses after the admission of the students...This scholarship will also be applicable to government employees from the Dalit community." He added that this scholarship is a response to Union Minister Amit Shah's disrespectful remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar. "We are giving an answer to BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah who disrespected Dr BR Ambedkar by announcing the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship," he said, ANI cited. On Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in his address in the Rajya Sabha, reportedly said, "If they (opposition) had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, they would have gotten heaven for seven lives." Amid the ongoing Ambedkar row, BSP Chief Mayawati on Saturday called for a nationwide protest on December 24 against Amit Shah's remarks, ANI reported. Mayawati, in a series of posts on X said, "Ambedkarite BSP has demanded him to take back his statement and repent, which has not been implemented till now. In such a situation, if the demand is not met, then BSP has talked about raising voice across the country. That is why now the party has decided to hold a nationwide movement on December 24 in support of this demand. On that day, a completely peaceful dharna demonstration will be held at all the district headquarters of the country." On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi and other MPs from the INDIA alliance led a demonstration in the Parliament complex, demanding an apology and resignation of the Union Home Minister for his remarks on former law minister BR Ambedkar, ANI reported. (With inputs from ANI)
21 December,2024 04:36 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMinister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav released the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023) on Saturday at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. The report, prepared biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), provides a comprehensive assessment of India’s forest and tree resources. As per the data released, India's total forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021, reaching 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area in 2023.Together, the forest and tree cover amount to 8,27,357 sq km or 25.17 per cent of India's geographical area, with forest cover alone rising by 156 sq km. Forest cover refers to all land that has a tree canopy density of more than 10 per cent and spans over an area of one hectare or more, regardless of the type of ownership or legal status. This includes natural forests as well as man-made plantations, orchards and tree patches in urban and rural areas that meet the size and canopy density criteria. Tree cover is defined as patches of trees and isolated trees outside the Reserved Forest Area (RFA) that are less than one hectare. He further mentioned that India has achieved an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes compared to 2005 levels. India's carbon stock in 2023 is estimated at 7,285.5 million tonnes, which is an increase of 81.5 million tonnes compared to 2021. As part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet the Paris Agreement goals, the country has committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. FSI Director General Anoop Singh said bamboo cover has also been estimated and included in the tree cover. India's total bamboo-bearing area is now estimated at 1,54,670 sq km, an increase of 5,227 sq km compared to 2021. The states with the biggest gains in total forest and tree cover were Chhattisgarh (684 sq km), Uttar Pradesh (559 sq km), Odisha (559 sq km), and Rajasthan (394 sq km). The highest gains in forest cover were reported in Mizoram (242 sq km), Gujarat (180 sq km), and Odisha (152 sq km). In terms of total area, Madhya Pradesh has the most forest and tree cover (85,724 sq km), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (67,083 sq km) and Maharashtra (65,383 sq km). Madhya Pradesh has the highest forest cover (77,073 sq km), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (65,882 sq km) and Chhattisgarh (55,812 sq km). When it comes to forest cover as a percentage of geographical area, Lakshadweep ranks first (91.33 percent), followed by Mizoram (85.34 percent) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (81.62 percent). The FSI also examined forest cover changes in the Western Ghats and Eastern States Area (WGESA) during the last decade, revealing a total loss of 58.22 sq km. During this time, very dense forests expanded by 3,465.12 sq km, whereas moderately dense forests and open forests contracted by 1,043.23 and 2,480.11 square kilometres, respectively. The country's hill districts have a forest cover of 2,83,713.20 sq km, accounting for 40 percent of their total geographical area. According to the most recent study, hill districts' forest cover has increased by 234.14 sq km. According to the most recent ISFR study, the northeastern region's forest cover has decreased by 327.30 sq km. The region's total forest and tree cover is 1,74,394.70 sq km, or 67 percent of its geographical area. According to the research, the country's overall mangrove cover is 4,991.68 sq km, representing a 7.43 sq km drop since 2021. According to the research, the categories of moderately dense forest and open forest decreased by 1,043.23 sq km and 2,480.11 sq km, respectively, during the last decade, despite gains in very dense forest. The FSI has been measuring forest cover since 1987, and tree cover since 2001. According to the National Forest Policy of 1988, 33 percent of India's geographical area should be covered with forest or trees.
21 December,2024 03:50 PM IST | Dehradun | mid-day online correspondentNational Farmers Day, also known as Kisan Diwas, is celebrated every year on December 23 in India to honour the contributions of farmers to the nation's growth and development. This day serves as a reminder of the crucial role that farmers play in ensuring food security, sustaining rural economies and preserving the agricultural heritage of the country. The significance of National Farmers Day Kisan Diwas was instituted in 2001 by the Government of India, but its roots trace back to the birthday of Chaudhary Charan Singh, a prominent Indian political leader and farmer’s advocate. Charan Singh served as the 5th Prime Minister of India from 1979 to 1980. His leadership focused on agricultural reforms, rural development, and the welfare of farmers, and his policies are still remembered as a foundation for agricultural progress in India. The government decided to celebrate this day in his honour, recognizing his lifelong work in addressing the issues faced by Indian farmers. Why is National Farmers Day celebrated? To Acknowledge Farmers’ Contribution: Farmers are the backbone of India’s economy, contributing to the majority of the country’s agricultural production and ensuring a steady supply of food and raw materials. On Kisan Diwas, the government, organizations, and communities come together to celebrate their hard work, resilience, and indispensable role in society. To Raise Awareness about Agricultural Challenges: Kisan Diwas brings attention to the various challenges that farmers face, such as unpredictable weather conditions, fluctuating market prices, and inadequate access to modern technology. It is a day for policymakers to discuss reforms that can better support the farming community. To Promote Agricultural Innovation: On this day, government bodies, agricultural institutions, and experts often conduct programs and workshops focused on enhancing agricultural techniques and introducing sustainable farming practices. Farmers are encouraged to adopt new methods to increase crop yields and ensure environmental sustainability. To Honor Farmers' Welfare: National Farmers Day emphasizes the importance of ensuring that farmers' welfare is prioritized in public policies. It is a reminder to policymakers to work towards schemes and programs that provide financial support, insurance, and better living conditions for farmers. A Day of Unity and Support: Kisan Diwas also serves as a reminder of the collective efforts needed to ensure the well-being of farmers. Communities and organizations across India come together to show solidarity and support for the farming community. The Legacy of Chaudhary Charan Singh Chaudhary Charan Singh’s legacy continues to resonate in the policies and reforms related to the agricultural sector in India. He is remembered for his significant work in promoting the rights of farmers, advocating for a fair and just price for their produce, and fighting for the betterment of rural communities. One of his most significant contributions was the enactment of the Farmers’ Debt Relief Bill, which aimed to relieve farmers burdened by debts. His emphasis on a rural-centric economy and sustainable farming continues to influence modern agricultural policies. Celebrations Across India On National Farmers Day, various events and activities take place to honor the farmers. These include: Award Ceremonies: Recognising exceptional farmers for their contributions to agriculture, innovation, and community development. Conferences and Seminars: Discussions on the challenges faced by farmers and the solutions that can be implemented to improve the agricultural sector. Rural Development Programs: Introducing new initiatives and schemes that aim to improve the standard of living for farmers and rural communities. Cultural Programs: In some parts of India, local festivals and fairs are organized to celebrate the agricultural heritage and the hard work of farmers. National Farmers Day or Kisan Diwas is not just a day to celebrate the farmers but also an opportunity to address the pressing issues they face and explore ways to uplift the agricultural sector. As India’s population continues to grow, the importance of supporting and empowering farmers becomes ever more critical. This day serves as both a celebration of their vital role in society and a call to action for a sustainable future for agriculture in India. Let us use this day to reflect on the sacrifices made by farmers and to ensure that the government, institutions, and society continue to work towards their well-being and prosperity.
21 December,2024 02:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
