The government has made its flagship crop insurance schemes voluntary for farmers with existing crop loans or those willing to take new ones, as it seeks to address the concerns raised by farmers' body and states in implementation of these programmes. "The Union Cabinet has approved the revamping of 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)' and 'Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)' to address the existing challenges in implementation of crop insurance schemes," an official statement said.
The disaster management cell is monitoring round-the-clock the situation in the wake of heavy rains that pounded Kolkata and South Bengal districts on Friday, claiming three lives, Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee said on Friday night.
While the American Club Cool Fresh Taste saw the minimum hike of 10 per cent, from Rs 200 to Rs 220 for a pack of 20 cigarettes, the price of Navy Cut Filter rose by about 16 per cent, at Rs 80 for a pack of 10 sticks. Flake Filter has become costlier by 14 per cent at Rs 80, while prices of Flake Special Filter, Flake Blue Special Filter and Wave Cool Mint rose by 20 per cent.
These parties also asked the Centre to present a revised comprehensive economic package that will be a 'true stimulus' and sought reversal of all unilateral policy decisions, especially pertaining to labour laws, as they put forth a 11-point demand charter before the government during a virtual meeting, called by the Congress to discuss the situation arising out of the pandemic as well as the lockdown.
Draft bill seeks to provide grains to households in both priority and general categories and cooked meals to all others.
The high-level China Study Group has been asked by the Prime Minister's Office to review and re-prioritise projects along the high Himalayas, reports RS Chauhan
Short trips can be made to interesting places at 15-20 per cent lower prices.
The BCCI has cancelled the third ODI between India and the West Indies in Visakhapatnam after cyclone 'Hudhud' left the ACA-VDCA cricket stadium in unplayable condition.
The business would also not be allowed to claim any un-availed input tax credit for "goods lost" or "destroyed".
Japan's financial woes mount as the Tokyo Stock Exchange saw one of the worst crashes on Monday.
The landslides and landslips along the 60 km stretch between Gangtok and Mangan along NH31A, the lifeline of the mountain state, was affecting rescue operations in the higher reaches in the mountains, army sources said.
Strangely, the Lokpal Bill drafted by all sides is silent on these two powerful sections of our society that continues to shape, reshape and de-shape public opinion. Is that why the media and the NGOs are vociferously supporting the Lokpal Bill? Asks M R Venkatesh.
Rediff reader Rajiv Aggarwal shared this list of books he wants everyone to read
The chief minister will arrive in Agra on Friday night and visit the calamity-hit areas on Saturday morning, Principal Secretary Information Avanish Awasthi said.
Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday warned that the days of the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh were numbered as it was neglecting the farmers in distress.
A fun excerpt from Diptakirti Chaudhuri's Bollygeek: The Crazy Trivia Guide to Bollywood.
It is highly effective as compared to other policies that companies sell and saves the buyer from many hassles.
Experts tell the PM that India's nuclear power plants are designed differently from the ones in Japan, so a similar crisis is unlikely to happen here. Also it seems certain that events in Japan are unlikely to dampen India's nuclear energy plans. Sheela Bhatt reports.
Making a statement in Parliament on the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Dr Singh said Indian nuclear plants have in the past met the safety standards during the major natural calamities like January 26, 2002 Gujarat earthquake and the December 2004 Tsunami.
Industry chamber Ficci said, Japan as a nation would overcome the calamity to reassure its place in the comity of most prominent economies of the world.
Several families in Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur and Nayagarh have named their newborn daughters as Titli because they were born either before the very severe cyclone's arrival in the coast or after it made landfall.
In his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast, Modi said all classes of people have suffered during the pandemic but it is the poor who have suffered the worst.
The national calamity response force, NDRF feels it is time that citizens are "trained" in combating both man-made and natural catastrophes.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday held a review meeting to discuss the preparedness of the national capital
All interest free advances stand discontinued with the exception of interest free advance for medical treatment, travelling allowance for family of deceased, travelling allowance on tour or transfer and leave travel concession
Rejecting criticism of tardy relief operations in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said government was making all efforts and complimented armed forces personnel for their untiring efforts in rescuing the stranded people.
At least 50 major landslides occurred in just four road stretches in calamity-torn Uttarakhand, where hundreds of pilgrims are feared to have perished in flash floods, an official said.
Noted industrialist Azim Premji, who was named for the coveted Padma Vibhushan this year, has said he is 'extremely disappointed' with the performance of the government at the Centre.
The new entrants in Tamil Nadu politics, actor-turned-politicians Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, have decided to stay away from the elections, reports T E Narasimhan.
With natural and man-made calamities posing a risk to your home, it makes sense to buy home insurance
'If the museum in his memory inspires and instils among Brahminical British Indians an attitude of equality towards Dalits, the edifice would be worth it,' reports Ashis Ray.
A fan's personal account of the Harry Potter frenzy.
A day after ending his hunger strike, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu was on Saturday discharged from Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad. The former chief minister ended his fast, launched to demand higher compensation for the farmers affected by natural calamities in the state, on Friday evening after eight days. Naidu was shifted to NIMS amidst high drama on early December 20, the fourth day of his hunger strike.
Rebel Congress leader and former Lok Sabha member from Kadapa YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Tuesday declared that the Andhra Pradesh government's days were numbered. Jagan's 48-hour hunger strike in Vijaywada for the calamity-stricken has received support from over a lakh people and 20 Congress legislators. He told his supporters that they should be ready for a longer battle to ensure justice to the farmers, weavers and other weaker sections of the state.
The issue of compensation for the calamity-hit farmers of Andhra Pradesh has become a contentious subject with the leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu and the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy continuing their war of words.
'Dear PM, INC supports the salary cut for MPs. Please note that MPLAD is meant to execute developmental works in the constituency. Suspending it is a huge disservice to the constituents and will undermine the role and functions of MP,' Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.
Parmesh, brother of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, spoke to rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt about his personal experience of natural calamities in a telephonic conversation from Tokyo.
The Left and Congress said that the PM should have been more respectful and sensitive in his speech.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that India wants better relations with Pakistan and China.
While P Muralidhar Rao, BJP general secretary, says, 'Digital electioneering is here to stay until the elections in 2021,' the BJP's rallies in Bihar will not be confined to cyberspace. Its strategists have devised other ways of getting around the hygiene protocol that Covid-19 has entailed.
