Stalin accuses BJP of plotting to reduce TN‘s voice through delimitation manipulation

Chandigarh, Feb 19 (IANS) In a step to enhance horticultural practices, the Haryana government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Birmingham to establish the first-of-its-kind Haryana-UK Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Crop Post-Harvest Management and Cold Chain for horticulture crops.

The centre, located in Panchkula, aims to significantly reduce post-harvest losses while maintaining the quality and freshness of horticultural produce from the farm to the consumer.

The pact was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana.

On behalf of the government, the pact was signed by Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Raja Shekhar Vundru, while Prof Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), University of Birmingham, signed on behalf of the university.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Chief Minister said Haryana, being the country’s food bowl, is rapidly diversifying into fresh fruits and vegetables. This expansion calls for the effective management of the cold chain to minimise post-harvest losses.

He said the centre of excellence would play a crucial role in ensuring quality, reducing wastage, and supporting the agricultural community. The centre will serve as a comprehensive research and testing hub under one roof, dedicated to improving the post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables.

It will also provide vital research and testing services for students and researchers from CCS Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar and Maharana Pratap Horticulture University in Karnal allowing them to undertake studies and experiments in the fields of post-harvest management and cold chain technology.

Key objectives of the centre include reducing post-harvest losses by developing guidelines and protocols to mitigate such losses; fostering cold chain innovations by providing testing facilities and supporting advancements to ensure an efficient cold chain for horticultural products; nurturing tech start-ups by offering incubation support for cold chain technologies; driving sustainable practices through cutting-edge research on energy-efficient cold chain solutions and the development of sustainable business models; and establishing a comprehensive national framework for cold-chain practices and post-harvest management, aimed at curbing horticultural produce wastage.

The government has allocated 15 acres adjoining the Directorate of Horticulture in Sector 21 in Panchkula for the development of the centre.

Experts from the university are leading a consortium of UK and international universities to provide technical assistance in developing the centre.

The consortium includes Heriot-Watt University, Cranfield University, London South Bank University, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

–IANS

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Patna, May 21 (IANS) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report, submitted to the Kolkata High Court, linked a Trinamool Congress leader to the Murshidabad violence.

Speaking to the IANS, Deputy CM Sinha alleged that West Bengal has plunged into anarchy and accused the Trinamool Congress government of failing to uphold law and order.

“Mamata Banerjee has completely lost control over the administration,” he said.

“Those who came to power through appeasement politics are now destroying the state’s democratic and constitutional fabric,” he said.

The SIT report said Trinamool councillor Mehboob Alam was the alleged instigator of the communal violence that erupted in Murshidabad last month after the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

The report, constituted under orders from the High Court, documented indiscriminate arson, looting, and destruction of shops and malls, primarily targeting the Hindu community.

“The local police remained inactive and failed to respond to emergency calls,” the report stated, adding that the violence was not spontaneous but organised and incited.

Condemning the revelations, Vijay Kumar Sinha said: “It has been proved in a court of law. I want to tell Mamata Banerjee that such a mindset must stop. This act is against the Constitution and reflects a total disregard for democratic principles. The Trinamool Congress is a group that compromises everything for power.”

He further alleged that the rule of law in West Bengal has eroded under Trinamool Congress’ watch and that the party continues to shield violent elements within its ranks.

The SIT findings are expected to intensify political tensions between the BJP and Trinamool Congress, especially as national parties begin to prepare for the upcoming Assembly and general elections.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders across various states, including Bihar, have begun to cite the report as proof of “constitutional failure and minority appeasement” in West Bengal.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav on Tuesday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the registration drive for the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana,’ accusing the party’s National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal of “misleading” the people of Delhi with hollow promises.

Speaking to IANS, Yadav said, “Kejriwal is known for making announcements without accountability. He doesn’t have any answers for his previous unfulfilled promises.”

“When he goes to any Assembly constituency and is questioned about the progress of his previous promises — be it on electricity bills, contaminated water, or damaged roads — he evades answers. These announcements are purely to mislead the public,” he said.

Amid growing criticism, the AAP initiated the registration process for the scheme, which promises temple priests and Gurdwara granthis an honorarium of Rs 18,000 per month.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi launched the initiative from a Gurdwara in Karol Bagh, while Kejriwal launched the scheme from Marghatwale Baba Mandir near Kashmere Gate ISBT.

Speaking on the scheme, Kejriwal remarked, “This is the first initiative of its kind in the country, providing monthly financial support to priests and granthis.”

However, the announcement has drawn criticism from both BJP and Congress leaders, who have termed it a “poll gimmick.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera labelled the scheme as yet another “brazen attempt” by the AAP to deceive Delhi’s residents.

“No matter what the AAP does, the people of Delhi are resolved to bring a Congress-led government,” Khera told IANS.

BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar also hit out at the AAP, accusing the party of hypocrisy.

“The AAP has become the ‘new Congress,’ resorting to similar tactics of wooing Hindu voters during elections,” Chandrasekhar told IANS.

He compared Kejriwal’s actions to Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, who often visit temples during polls.

Chandrasekhar further slammed the AAP for allegedly abandoning its anti-corruption roots, saying, “AAP, born out of a crusade against corruption, now promotes the same graft it once opposed. It has truly become the new Congress.”

Both BJP and Congress have accused the AAP of using the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’ as a last-minute effort to gain votes ahead of the Assembly elections, calling it a “desperate poll stunt.”

–IANS

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