The government is making efforts continuously to increase the income of farmers and various schemes are in place for it, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said on Tuesday. The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister also told the Lok Sabha that the income of farmers is not less than that of the labourers. Speaking at the Question Hour, Chauhan asserted that there will be no shortfall in fertiliser subsidy this year too. He said the aim is to increase production, reduce cost and ensure good price for the crops. Earlier, Speaker Om Birla welcomed represen-tatives from Armenia, who were present in the House. They are on a visit to India.
Nehru symbol of democracy, says RJD MP
Criticising the BJP for frequently taking jibes at the country’s first prime minister, RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha on Tuesday said Jawaharlal Nehru did not lose the general elections of 2014, 2019 and 2024, but it was the opposition and the Congress that lost. “BJP may win elections for another 100 years but you will find Nehru standing because he is a symbol of parliamentary democracy against authoritarianism,” Jha said. He said people should consider India’s situation in 1946 and 1947 before criticising Nehru.
‘18 surveillance boats given to WB not used’
None of the 18 surveillance boats sanctioned to West Bengal for coastal security are currently operational, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Expressing his disappointment over the state of affairs despite Centre’s efforts to bolster coastal security, Rai said, “Coastal security is a shared responsibility and the states must utilise their resources.” Despite the boats being inactive, he emphasised that efforts to curb illegal activities along the coast were continuing.
NDA, Congress spar over significance of sengol
Sengol, installed by PM Modi in the new Parliament building, was at the centre of a BJP-Congress verbal duel in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The Congress claimed that an untrue story was told about its significance and the government countered it. The opposition parties objected to the mention of Sengol by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav during a discussion on the Constitution. Yadav said that when the Sengol was given during the transfer of power at the time of Independence, it was treated as a “walking stick” of Jawaharlal Nehru. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh objected, saying that it was not given to anyone. He said the BJP has spread a story about the Sengol and “this is not history”.