Agri Min’s tableaux on crop insurance rejected
NEW DELHI: In a major setback to Radha Mohan Singhled Agriculture Ministry, the Republic Day Parade selection committee has rejected the ministry’s proposal to showcase Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) through tableaux.
The Agriculture Ministry’s tableau proposal failed to convince the selection committee members at the fifth round, while the tableau proposal of ministry’s research arm – Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) --- qualified for the next round. The theme of the ICAR for Republic Day parade tableaux that cleared the initial rounds of selection is integrated farming.
The ministry’ presentation was not up to the mark and the elements that were incorporated in it were not ‘worth watching’ in comparison to the tableaux of other Central ministries, the sources said. It’s worth mentioning that revamped crop insurance has failed to attract beneficiaries too. According to the Agriculture Ministry’s data, there are only a few takers of this scheme, which was launched with much fanfare in January 2016.
The sources further said that the theme was selected to promote farmer-friendly reform initiatives of the ministry as the new crop insurance has many new clauses which were not there in the older version of the insurance.
“The rejection of tableaux proposal on crop insurance is a matter of great embarrassment for the ministry as it’s a pet scheme of the Prime Minister. The government is also banking upon this project to bring the farming community in their fold in upcoming general elections,” said Rakesh Tikait, the spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS).
This year’s (2017) RD parade had witnessed the tableaux from 17 states and six ministries of the Central government. The parade on Rajpath had tableaux on GST; Khadi India; Housing for All, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR); CPWD and Skill Development Ministry. SHIMLA: With Assembly polls round the corner in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi have packed programmes in the state. Modi, who has already addressed two election meetings on November 2, would be there for two rallies at Rait (Kangra) and Sundernagar (Mandi) tomorrow, the BJP said.
On November 5, the prime minister would address a rally each at Palampur, Kullu and Una, it said.
While AICC president Sonia Gandhi would not campaign in the state, Rahul Gandhi would be there for rallies at Paonta Sahib, Nagrota and Chamba on November 6, an HPCC spokesperson said.
The Congress vice president would again visit Himachal on November 8 for three more poll meetings, he said. NEW DELHI: The Congress said on Friday that its organisational polls were on and there was no bottleneck holding up the process, even as it took a swipe at the BJP and asked the party when did it have such an election.
“The Congress President and party vice president has already talked about the organisational polls. The election process is on and there is no problem or bottleneck in holding them,” Congress spokesperson R P N Singh told reporters.
Asked about the BJP alleging that the result of the Congress president’s poll was already known, Singh said as far as the polls are concerned, “I would like to ask the BJP when was the last time that they had election for the President;s post.”
Singh alleged that there has never been an election of the BJP President, while there have been many elections in the Congress party. “The BJP never actually had an election. So they should also talk about polls. When did they have polls for the President?” he asked.
The Congress organisational poll process is on and the party has to complete that, including the election of the Congress President, by December-end.
It is widely speculated that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will be elevated to the party’s top soon, with a number of state units having already passed resolutions urging him to take over the party’s reins.