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Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Centre, Karnataka govt to share price gap relief for mango farmers
In a major relief to mango farmers in Karnataka, the Centre and the state government have agreed to jointly bear the cost of the price difference being faced by producers due to a sharp fall in market rates. The decision was announced following a video conference held on Saturday between Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Karnataka Agriculture Minister N Chaluvaraya Swamy. As part of the agreement, both governments will compensate farmers for the price gap on up to 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes. The financial support will be extended under a central government scheme and shared equally by the Union and state governments. The move came after the Karnataka government submitted a proposal to the Centre, highlighting the steady decline in prices of both tomatoes and mangoes – especially the Totapuri variety. Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi also participated in the virtual meeting. During the discussion, Minister Chaluvaraya Swamy noted that while tomato prices were also a concern earlier, they have since stabilised and do not require immediate intervention. 'The decision to provide this relief will greatly help mango farmers who have been struggling due to low market prices,' Chaluvaraya Swamy said, thanking the Union minister for his support. Officials said details regarding the implementation mechanism, including how the differential price will be calculated and disbursed, will be announced soon. On Thursday, the state cabinet resolved to urge the Centre for greater support, flagging crises in major mango-producing regions such as Kolar and Chikkaballapura. The Karnataka government has been facing the heat of mango growers of Chikkaballapura and Kolar districts, who have been demanding a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per quintal for their produce. The prices crashed due to the ban on the 'Totapuri' variety of Karnataka mangoes in Andhra Pradesh for having more water content. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written twice – once to Union Agriculture Minister Chouhan requesting implementation of the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), and once to Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu urging the rollback of AP's ban on Karnataka Totapuri mangoes entering Chittoor. The letter highlighted plummeting prices (from Rs 12,000 to Rs 3,000 per quintal) versus cultivation costs (Rs 5,466 per quintal). Andhra Pradesh's import ban on Totapuri mangoes had stranded Karnataka produce at the border, cutting access to processing units and amplifying the price slump. Farmers were demanding an MSP and immediate state intervention as lorry-loads remained blocked. On Tuesday, Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs Samruddhi Manjunath and Venkatashiva Reddy staged a dharna at the Gandhi statue on the premises of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru to protest against the government for 'ignoring' the demands of mango farmers. In Srinivasapura under Kolar district, farmers also dumped tonnes of mangoes on roads to protest against the slump in prices. A mango trader in Srinivasapura died reportedly from a heart attack after suffering heavy losses. He had invested Rs 30 lakh in produce, which dropped in value due to the ban and market slump.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
From building stadiums to hosting international events, how Bihar is trying to turn around its sporting culture
When Bihar played Mumbai at Patna's Moin-ul-Haq stadium in January 2024, it wasn't the game or the cricketing stars that captured media attention. It was the state of the stadium — the broken and muddy stands, the overgrown lawn and the non-functional scoreboard, all telltale signs of government apathy. Since then, Bihar appears to be trying hard to shed that image. From a new multi-crore state-of-the-art sports complexes and a sports university to hosting Khelo India Youth games and a new policy and department exclusively to it, Bihar is doing much in this direction. Bihar's sports push can be gauged from the fact that its sports budget shot up from Rs 30 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 568 crore in 2025-26. According to a senior leader of the ruling Janata Dal (United), the Nitish Kumar government was trying to use such initiatives to tap into a vast vote base – the youth. Youth are estimated to make up about 30 percent of Bihar's population and, according to the leader, such a push holds particular significance since the state has historically lagged behind in sporting achievements. 'Promoting sundry sports ahead of crucial 2025 Assembly polls could come in handy for the government to tap into the vast constituency of youth, which is caste-neutral,' the senior leader, who is close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said. 'At the heart of this transformation is the belief that sports can empower the youth, promote community well-being, and uplift the state's image on both national and international stages'. A senior government official added: 'If Nitish Kumar's tenure as Bihar CM between 2005 and 2020 is often cited for infrastructure overhaul in the state and providing drinking water to almost all villages, the CM's current tenure between 2020 and 2025 has witnessed a massive push for sports – from upgrading of sports infrastructure to taking Bihar on national map by hosting several national and international sports events in past few years.' A large part of the push is decentralisation of sports and promotion at the village level. This includes constructing outdoor stadiums at block levels to encourage more participation. But it's not only sports infrastructure that the state is upgrading: it's also simultaneously offering incentives for athletes, even announcing a new policy last year for directly recruiting medal-winning athletes into government jobs. Bihar's push for sports also found a mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on the opening day of the 7th edition of Khelo India Youth Games, 2025, on May 4. In it, Modi lavished praise at the Bihar government's initiatives to promote sports and said events such Khelo India Youth Games would further 'help Bihar in establishing its presence in the field of sports at national level'. Building sports cities, decentralising sports — Bihar's massive sports push Soon after the January 2024 fiasco, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a revamp of the Moinul Haque stadium. Meanwhile, just ahead of the Khelo India Youth games, Nitish inaugurated sports facilities at the Rajgir Sports Academy-cum-Sports University. Built at a cost of Rs 750 crore, the 90-acre sports complex boasts of having both indoor and outdoor stadiums with facilities to host sports events across 24 disciplines. Also under construction is an international cricket stadium at Rajgir with a capacity of 40,000 spectators, expected to be ready by the end of the year. The stadium is expected to host both domestic and international matches. The Bihar Sports University, meanwhile, is expected to be opened to students from the 2025-26 academic session. The university, which got recognition from the University Grants Commission in January this year, will offer both degree and diploma programmes in various disciplines of sports. Among its programmes are diploma/PG diploma in sports coaching, diploma/PG diploma in Yoga, four years Bachelor of Physical education. It will also offer programmes in sport sciences. Besides this, the government has also begun hosting a variety of national and international sporting events, from the Women's Asian Hockey and the Ranji Trophy Cup matches in 2024 to the Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 and the Khelo India Youth Games 2025. In January last year, the state government created a standalone sports department, previously part of the art, culture and youth affairs department. This came a year after the state government set up the Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA) – the body that promotes athletes in the state. The government is also setting up a Rs 100-crore sports complex at Punpun on the outskirts of Patna. The complex would be part of a larger sports city complete with modern facilities such as training centre, gyn, lounges and restaurants. Meanwhile, officials at block and district levels have been asked to have playgrounds ready 'as part of the state government's mega drive to nurture sports talents from grassroot levels', Masaurhi sub-divisional officer Amit Kumar Patel said. Out of Bihar's 534 blocks, 252 already have fully constructed outdoor stadiums while an additional 64 are currently under construction, while 58 are at the active development stage, officials said. 'Proposals for stadiums have been received from 163 more blocks, indicating strong grassroots interest and participation in the program. So far, 25 districts have completed these sports-cum-fitness centres, and another 13 have received official approval for construction,' one district official said. In March this year, the BSSA launched 'Mashal' – a statewide talent search competition for schools. The event saw the participation of students from 38,000 government secondary and higher secondary schools in the state. Students selected under this programme are trained to go to cluster, block, district and state competitions. 'The competition is conducted in two categories — Under 14 and Under 16 for boys and girls. At present, students participate in athletics, kabaddi, badminton, football and volleyball,' one official said, adding that there are plans to add at least half a dozen more sports in the coming three years. In addition, the state is trying to incentivise sports and sportspeople under its 'Medal Lao, Naukri Pao' scheme. 'Under this, medal winners at various sporting competitions will be given Class 1 government jobs without appearing for a written test or interview. So far, 71 national and international award winners have been given government jobs,' one official said. The state government is also offering scholarships for athletes. According to government officials, 123 athletes have been granted scholarships of up to Rs 5 lakh/year. 'This category guarantees that athletes at various levels receive sufficient support to pursue their sporting ambitions. It covers expenses related to training, travel, equipment, and other vital needs,' one official said. Meanwhile, high-performing athletes who have already showcased outstanding skills at national or international competitions are entitled to scholarships of up to Rs 20 lakh/annum. 'The scholarship ensures that elite athletes have access to top-notch training facilities, coaching, nutrition, and medical care. It enables them to compete at the highest levels and achieve recognition for both the state and the nation,' the official said. According to Additional Chief Secretary B Rajender, the initiatives have already begun showing results. 'That Bihar is witnessing a sports revolution is evident in the state's record 36 medals at the 2025 Khelo India Youth Games, a 620 percent jump from last year. A key pillar of this transformation is the rapid expansion of grassroots infrastructure — construction for 6,659 new sports grounds across 5,671 gram panchayats has begun. At the same time, the government is setting up khel clubs and launching talent hunts involving around 60 lakh players from 40,000 schools, ensuring that every corner of Bihar becomes a cradle for sporting excellence.' Athletes too believe these programmes prove how seriously the state is now taking sports. 'Bihar's sports facilities are now at par with Delhi's sports facilities,' Anishka Kumari, an archer, said. 'Bihar hosting some national and international events is a big enough proof of it.' But some experts believe the measures are 'too little, too late'. 'Why had Moin-ul-Haq stadium remained ignored all these years when a small state like Jharkhand has two world-class stadia?' Bihar Players Association president Mrityunjay Tiwari asked. 'The government has to start from basics – we do not have devoted playing hours in schools, and we hardly have sports trainers. Raising boundary walls in villages does not make it a stadium. It is good that the government is finally addressing the neglect of sports but it has to first inculcate sports culture. It can come with good trainers and decentralised sports infrastructure.' Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bihar elections: 'JDU tickets will be distributed by Amit Shah,' says RJD's Tejashwi Yadav; terms NDA 'copycat' over pension scheme
NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday took a swipe at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar , claiming that due to his "unconscious state," it would be Union home minister Amit Shah -- and not Kumar -- who would end up distributing Janata Dal (United) tickets for the upcoming state assembly elections. He also targeted Kumar's pension hike scheme calling it a "copycat" move claiming that Mahagathbandhan had already made this announcement "seven months ago". "Nitish Kumar's unconscious state is a blessing for them. The JDU tickets will also be distributed by Amit Shah... This is confirmed. Sanjay Jha is a BJP-RSS person. He is in JDU from the Arun Jaitley quota," he said while speaking to the reporters. On pension hike, Yadav said in a post on X, "The Mahagathbandhan government is coming and this is causing tension, so the copycats of NDA are copying our announcements and increasing pension! We announced this 7 months ago, made continuous demands from the government, asked for inclusion of our announcements in the budget and asked for a separate budget provision. We had repeatedly said that we will force this government to increase the pension and we did it. Jai Bihar! Jai Bihari! " He further criticised Nitish Kumar-led government for having "no vision for the progress of Bihar" and said, "The CM is now tired and has no vision for the progress of Bihar. How will he make the state a 'Viksit Bihar'? Meanwhile, the two Deputy CMs are busy abusing Tejashwi and Lalu Ji—one is a loudmouth, and the other is foul-mouthed." "We will force the government to speak on IT parks, SEZ (Special Economic Zone), industrial clusters, industrial parks, semiconductor factories, food processing units, textile hubs, educational hubs and health cities. This is our vision: all-around development. The government will be forced to pay attention to these topics. Nitish Kumar was there for 20 years, and PM Modi has been there for the last 11 years. Why were the things mentioned above not established? But when Tejashwi comes, he will complete all these works," he added. Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar announced a major increase in the state's Social Security Pension Scheme, raising the monthly pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and widows. The announcement comes just months before the key Bihar assembly elections. Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) is allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the opposition front, led by Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), includes Congress as a partner.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Nitish Kumar's mega pre-poll push: Pension raised to ₹1,100 monthly
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced a major hike in the monthly pension for the elderly, disabled persons, and widowed women—from ₹400 to ₹1,100. The revised amount will be disbursed starting July and is set to benefit over 10.9 million people across the state under the Social Security Pension Scheme. 'I am happy to inform you that under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all the elderly, disabled and widowed women will now get a pension of ₹1,100 instead of ₹400 every month,' said Chief Minister Kumar. 'All the beneficiaries will get pension at the increased rate from the month of July. It will be ensured that this amount is sent to the account of all the beneficiaries on the 10th of the month. This will help 1 crore 9 lakh 69 thousand 255 beneficiaries a lot,' he added. Stressing the government's commitment to welfare and social equity, Kumar stated, 'The elderly are a precious part of society and ensuring their dignified living is our top priority. The state government will continue to make efforts in this direction.' The hike marks a nearly threefold increase and comes at a critical political juncture as Bihar heads to Assembly elections later this year. With the Janata Dal (United) and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aiming to fortify their electoral base, the announcement is being seen as a targeted measure to reach out to vulnerable segments of the population. In another administrative push towards decentralised governance, the Bihar government has also expanded financial powers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Now, village heads (mukhiyas) have been authorised to sanction development schemes worth up to ₹10 lakh, doubling the previous cap of ₹5 lakh.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Nitish Kumar's Big Move Ahead Of Polls, Monthly Pension Hiked To Rs 1,100
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today announced an increase in the monthly pension for elderly, disabled persons, and widowed women from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100. The decision, which will take effect from July, will impact 1,09,69,255 beneficiaries under the state's Social Security Pension Scheme. "I am happy to inform you that under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all the elderly, disabled and widowed women will now get a pension of Rs. 1100 instead of Rs. 400 every month. All the beneficiaries will get pension at the increased rate from the month of July. It will be ensured that this amount is sent to the account of all the beneficiaries on the 10th of the month. This will help 1 crore 9 lakh 69 thousand 255 beneficiaries a lot," Mr Kumar announced. मुझे यह बताते हुए खुशी हो रही है कि सामाजिक सुरक्षा पेंशन योजना के तहत सभी वृद्धजनों, दिव्यांगजनों और विधवा महिलाओं को अब हर महीने 400 रु॰ की जगह 1100 रु॰ पेंशन मिलेगी। सभी लाभार्थियों को जुलाई महीने से पेंशन बढ़ी हुई दर पर मिलेगी। सभी लाभार्थियों के खाते में यह राशि महीने की 10… — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) June 21, 2025 "The elderly are a precious part of society and ensuring their dignified living is our top priority. The state government will continue to make efforts in this direction," he added. This announcement comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for later this year. The Janata Dal (United) and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are seeking to consolidate their position against an opposition front led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. The Bihar government has also revised powers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Village heads (mukhiyas) are now authorised to independently sanction schemes worth up to Rs 10 lakh, doubling the previous threshold of Rs 5 lakh. In a meeting on Thursday, the Chief Minister approved significant increases in allowances for elected representatives under the Panchayati Raj system: The Zilla Parishad (ZP) President's monthly allowance will increase from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. ZP Vice President's allowance has been raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. Mukhiyas will now receive Rs 7,500 per month, up from Rs 5,000. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Siwan on Friday, marking his fifth tour of Bihar in 2025. Addressing a large crowd, he praised Bihar's role in national progress and slammed the Congress-RJD alliance while endorsing Nitish Kumar's development agenda. "India is on the path to becoming the third-largest economy, and Bihar will play a big role in this," PM Modi said. He announced projects worth Rs 5,736 crore, including 22 urban infrastructure projects, six new road projects, one rail initiative, and the launch of two new trains-including a Vande Bharat Express. Also unveiled was the export of the first locomotive built in the Madhura rail factory. "The engine made in Bihar will now run trains in Africa... this is the new identity of Bihar," PM Modi said.
