Maharashtra Navirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday condemned the attack on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and said the Prime Minister and not Pawar should be blamed for price rise.
To offer some relief to farmers in drought-affected states, a ministerial panel has decided to increase the number of guaranteed work days under MGNREGA to 150 days and cut interest rates on crop loans to 7 per cent for one year, according to sources.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's remarks favouring a person with "not too much" of a political mind for the President's post has stirred the pot with parties, including the Congress, chanting the mantra of a consensus candidate in the upcoming Presidential polls.
The attack on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Thursday sparked protests in his home state Maharashtra and invited strong condemnation from political parties.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has rubbished suggestions that coalitionpartner Nationalist Congress Party has put pressure on him to give clearance to Lavasa Hill city project.
Monsoon, the life-line of Indian agriculture, has been deficient by 13 per cent so far, affecting the sowing of kharif crops, particularly coarse cereals and pulses.
Suicide by farmers due to agrarian reasons have dropped significantly to 152 in the current year, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said `on Friday.
With Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar reportedly talking about the United Progressive Alliance's "low credibility due to scams", the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said the ruling coalition partners have started feeling they are on a sinking ship and may quit the alliance.
Despite the Nationalist Congress Party upset with the new pecking order in the government, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Monday steered clear of the controversy in the wake of his being relegated to the third position in the Union Cabinet.
A group of ministers, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, has been formed to resolve inter-ministerial differences stalling the national manufacturing policy which aims at giving a boost to the sector.
With the exit of Pranab Mukherjee from the Council of Ministers, Sharad Pawar's name was listed after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the official website of the Prime Minister's Office, triggering speculation on Thursday as to whether he was now the number two in the government.
Pawar, who postponed Monday's scheduled meeting of the EGoM, saying he was busy, sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to relieve him as head.
The empowered group of ministers has been reconstituted after Pranab Mukherjee, who was heading it, resigned as Finance Minister to contest the Presidential elections.
Political parties were quick to condemn the attack on yoga guru Ramdev but also used the opportunity to score points over each on the increasing frequency of such incidents and the issue of black money and corruption.
The GoM has proposed to cap prices of these medicines at the weighted average price of drugs with a minimum of one per cent market share, officials aware of the development said.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Friday said it will be difficult to decontrol sugar industry as many state governments, including the country's second largest producer Uttar Pradesh, are against freeing this sector.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday lashed out at Anna Hazare for his remarks justifying the recent physical attack on him, saying any further assault on him would be amply clear from where the instigation emanates.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday accused activist Anna Hazare of provoking violence, in an apparent reference to his reaction over the attack on Union minister Sharad Pawar. In two of his posts on the microblogging site Twitter, Singh said, "Anna Gandhian -- Provokes Violence. Bedi "X Cop"-- Urges People to break Law Kejriwal "X IRS"- Returns Donations to Anonymous. Shanti Bhushan "X Law Minister"- Promises to fix Judges. Pranab Da How right you are!"
Nationalist Congress Party workers on Friday attempted to assault a small-time transporter, who had slapped Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, in a court complex when he was taken for remand proceedings.
Issue of FDI in retail is solidly backed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The attack on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Thursday sparked protests in his home state Maharashtra and invited strong condemnation from political parties.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was on Thursday slapped by a youth at a public function, who claimed that he was angry with corruption and price rise.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was on Thursday slapped by a youth at a public function claiming he was angry with corruption and price rise.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of senior ministers on Tuesday to discuss the recommendations of the National Advisory Council on the Food Security Bill.
Top sources in the government told Business Standard the Congress managers wanted the rise in prices to be a collective decision of the United Progressive Alliance and also make sure allies could not wriggle out of the exercise to take harsh economic decisions.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Tuesday complained of dizziness in Parliament after which he was rushed to a hospital. He was discharged in the evening.
Home Minister P Chidambaram has taken a major share of the pie of the Empowered Group of Ministers and Group of Ministers after the exit of Pranab Mukherjee.
India is keen to forge partnerships with ASEAN countries for the exchange of technology to enhance farm productivity and address the impact of climate change on agriculture.
Amid reports that more leaders from Congress and Nationalist Congress Party from Maharashtra could have links with the controversial Adarsh Housing Society, three ex-Maharashtra chief ministers and a NCP leader have claimed they had not recommended any case for membership.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday rejected corporate lobbyst Niira Radia's claim that he lobbied with A Raja.
The monsoon rains have been 31 per cent below average up to July 2, Pawar told reporters in New Delhi.
Nationalist Congress Party chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's claims about not being acquainted with DB Realty and Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa are false, according to a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader from Maharashtra.
Concerned over poor budget allocation for the farm sector, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday said it may be difficult to implement the proposed Food Security Bill without adequate funds to boost agri-output, a must for increased foodgrain requirement.
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had sent in a request to the President for visiting Baramati in Maharashtra to see the all round development made in the areas of agriculture, irrigation and town planning.
Making a strong case for bringing down the $600 per tonne export benchmark price for Indian onions which has made them uncompetitive, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the Minimum Export Price is double the prevailing rate in international markets.
Posco was cleared because it is India's largest FDI project and the South Korean government lobbied for it. Such things don't happen in democracies which respect the rule of law, says Praful Bidwai.
Harvinder Singh, who had slapped Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, has now claimed before a Delhi court to be "unaware" of the incident saying he had "lost his senses" at that time as he suffered a bout of "mental disorder".
Food inflation rose to 18.32 per cent for the week ended December 25, because of rise in prices of food items like onion, milk and meat.
A local court in Delhi on Wednesday asked Delhi Police to carry out a medical test of the mental health of Harvinder Singh, who had slapped Union Minister Sharad Pawar, and submit the report to it by December 5.
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