Cotton...

There are at least 40 companies selling seeds in every district, and each of them was represented at these hearings.

The claims finalised in the four districts amounts to ₹140 crore, and total claims are expected to touch ₹1,300 crore, sources in agriculture department said.

“The total should have been more than ₹2,200 crore, but the seed companies have been contending that farmers do not follow the integrated pest management plan, and that the losses are just 5% to 10% of last year’s production,” said an officer from the department.

Officials said the seed companies often challenge the state’s orders. “The companies always move court, challenging our orders, saying the farmers do not follow instructions on the seed packets,” another official said. “In some cases, the compensation slapped is more than the firms’ annual turnover.”

Experts and farmers’ activists agreed. “I don’t think these claims will be accepted by the seed companies, as they cite the lack of awareness among farmers about the pest attack,” said farm activist Vijay Jawandhia. “Instead of waiting for the compensation from companies, the government should first pay it to the farmers. He said only a-fourth of the cotton farmers applied for the compensation as they did not have awareness about the provision in the first place.

Bijay Kumar, additional chief secretary, agriculture department said, “The compensation is being claimed based on applications and depending on the loss assessed from the crop cutting system. While giving the compensation under NDRF norms, the government is more liberal, but the compensation is claimed more scientifically from the companies. Even if the companies move court against the orders, we are sure to win them in the court.” of a British-era war by Dalits.

State government officials said on the condition of anonymity that they assured the Centre they possessed strong evidence in the form of literature and communication seized from devices.

“We had detailed communication with our legal cell in Delhi in the backdrop of the remarks by the SC. We are in the process of dispatching the documents to Delhi, and by Wednesday, the submission in the SC will be completed. Sensitive documents will be submitted to the court in sealed envelopes,” an official from the home department said.

According to Pune Police, an event called Elgar Parishad on December 31, 2017 in Pune where various activists and Dalit organisations came together, was responsible for stoking the violence the next day. In June, the police arrested five people -activist Sudhir Dhawale, lawyer Surendra Gadling, activist Rona Wilson, researcher Mahesh Raut, and retired professor Shoma Sen – for alleged Maoist ties. A separate probe by Pune (rural) police in the January 1 violence has named two Hindu right wing leaders, Milind Ekbote and Shambhaji Bhide.

Senior Pune police officials said on the condition of anonymity they recovered “incriminating” and “conclusive” evidence. “What we submitted before the court on Wednesday was part of evidence. We have around 250 documents and large amount of electronic evidence, which we will submit in the court,” said another senior official monitoring the probe who asked not to be named.

“We are confident of nailing the suspects,” said Venkatesham.

Pune Police has claimed before the court that the arrested activists were allegedly part of an “anti-fascist” front of the Maoists, were involved in recruiting students and young people, had links with separatists in Kashmir and were intending to strike “high functionaries” in the government. Defence lawyers have rejected the charges, and questioned the arrests.

(With inputs from agencies in New Delhi)

culture and other subjects in the Bay of Bengal, we will also set up a Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies at Nalanda University,” he said.

Modi had hosted Bimstec leaders for an outreach retreat in Goa two years ago, and he invited them to attend a “Buddhist conclave” India is hosting in August 2020 as special invitees.

In her address, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her country will not allow “its soil to be used for terrorist activities” against any neighbouring country.

Referring to the move to enhance counter-terror cooperation, foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale, later said: “Peace and stability are essential for economic growth and the home ministers meeting and the existing mechanism of the national security advisers’ meeting shows the importance of this issue.”

Explaining the foreign policy framework of Bimstec, Gokhale said the grouping serves as a link between South Asia and Southeast Asia. India’s emphasis on “neighbourhood first” and its Act East policy, which is also aimed at developing the northeastern states, fits in with New Delhi’s vision for deepening ties with the grouping, he said.

The fourth summit of the grouping, founded in 1997, began in Kathmandu on Thursday. It is focused on ways to strengthen Bimstec through various means, including framing a charter for the grouping and ensuring follow-up mechanisms for commitments announced by leaders in earlier meetings.

On the margins of the summit, Modi on Thursday met Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, and Sri Lankan President, Maithripala Sirisena.

With the Saarc process almost defunct, India is giving a greater push to Bimstec.

“For India, Bimstec fits in well with its Act East policy and India’s natural strategic frameworkismuchbroader.compared to Bimstec, Saarc tries to box India into a narrow region,” said strategic affairs expert, Brahma Chellany. increased by 72.5% in the first year. The original 6.61 million assessees have increased to 11.4 million, he said.

Opposition parties, especially the Congress, have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s shock announcement in November 2016 to ban Rs 1000 and old Rs 500 notes. After the RBI report, Congress leader Manish Tewari reiterated that demonetisation missed its targets of curbing terror financing, eliminating black money and eradicating fake currency.

“It wiped out the MSME sector, cottage industry and crores of daily wage-earners lost their jobs. The Indian economy lost 1.5 per cent in terms,” he alleged on Wednesday.