December 2018

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16 December 2018 WORLD www.theasianindependent.co.uk Why onion prices are bringing TEARS TO FARMERS' EYES New Delhi : The Narendra Modi government may have promised to double farm incomes by 2022, but farmers in the country's onion-growing regions are appalled at the bizarre market dynamics that keep its retail price hovering between Rs 20-30 a kilogram while they struggle to get even 10-20 per cent of the final cost. The constant fall in prices and subsequent lower remuneration in the past few weeks has led to outbursts and protests where farmers have thrown tonnes of onions on roads, while one farmer made national news by sending his meagre returns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Onion farmers blame the government and its arbitrary policies on exports and procurement for their plight. According to the Food Ministry, on Thursday, onions were sold for Rs 27 per kg in Delhi, for Rs 22 in Mumbai, for Rs 25 in Kolkata and for Rs 16 in Chennai. The retail prices were higher by Rs 2-5 last week. At Nashik's Lasalgaon, the country's largest wholesale market for onions, prices for onions harvested in summer have fallen to Rs 100-300 per quintal while fresh arrivals have managed to get an average of Rs 800-1,000 per quintal. Notably, the input cost for cultivation of a kilo of onions has been fixed at Rs 8.50 by the Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (DOGR), a constituent body of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Sanjay Sathe, an onion grower from Nashik, came into the limelight a few days ago after he sent a moneyorder of Rs 1,064 to Modi as a mark of protest. "I did not sell a part of onions I cultivated this summer due to the prevailing low prices. However, I was forced to sell it now as I had no money. I was shocked when I received just Rs 1,064 for 750 kg," Sathe said. "I paid Rs 400 to clean those onions and Rs 750 for transportation. So what I have been left with in the end? Nothing!" Aghast at the gloomy side of the market dynamics, Sathe sent the money-order to awaken the government to the situation. Last year, he sold onions at Rs 3,000 per quintal. He says the authorities do not have an answer for the sharp slump in prices this year. Anoop Kumar, Principal Secretary of Maharashtra's Marketing Department, said the onion crop that hits the market in winter has a short shelf life, which may have led to the low procurement price. "We are aware of the low prices. We have operationalised a scheme to provide 50 per cent subsidy on the transportation if onions are sold in other states," Kumar told IANS. The situation is similar in other onion-producing states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan. Farmer activist Kedar Sirohi said the remuneration to onion growers in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has fallen to as low as Rs 1 per kg. "Due to the advancement in transportation and communication, prices remain more or less the same in the adjoining states. In Neemuch (in Madhya Pradesh), one farmer received just Rs 2,300 for 2,100 kg of onion he sold on Wednesday. So, roughly, Rs 1 per kg," said Sirohi, who is the president of the Aam Kisan Union. Lasalgaon APMC Market Chairman Jaydatta Holkar said the government's inconsistent export policies and additional procurement were to be blamed. "There have been so many flipflops on the export policies in last few years that we have lost credibility in the international market. There is now greater demand for onions from Pakistan," said Holkar. "Also, the government procured a huge amount of onions though the NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation) last year. It sent a wrong signal in the market that there is no demand," said Holkar. India exported 24,15,739 tonnes of onions in 2016-17 but this reduced to 15,88,985 tonnes in 2017- 18, as per Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Around 8,31,645 tonnes of onions have been exported since April this year. Holkar asked for an increase in the incentives for onion exports under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) from the current five per cent to 10 per cent. Sathe said he received a call from a Maharashtra government official seeking details about his land and crop yield and if he was a part of any political outfit. "There was just a phone call. I do not know who it was, except that it was a government official. Nothing has happened since then," he said. A senior Agriculture Ministry official said cognisance had been taken of the situation but no decision has been taken so far. The ministry cannot intervene until a state approaches it for implementing the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), which is designed to protect farmers from making distress sales, said the official, who requested anonymity. Mentoring schemes and top scholarships for children in care The Government will launch a new scheme creating partnerships between independent schools and councils to boost opportunities for looked after children. Children in care could receive mentoring or scholarships from some of the country’s top independent schools as part of a wider drive to raise outcomes and ambitions for these vulnerable young people. Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi will launch a national scheme between independent schools and councils today (Tuesday 4 December) to improve the offer they make to young people growing up in care, who too often struggle to get ahead in mainstream education as a result of their challenging upbringing. He will set out his vision for lookedafter children, including those who display particular gifts in subjects from sports to science, by helping them access specialist schools or facilities, and will announce a network of regional hubs in 2019 to focus on improving these young people’s academic outcomes. Speaking at the Boarding Schools Partnership conference in London, the Children and Families Minister will say: Children in care often find themselves marginalised, struggling to make a success of themselves at school through no fault of their own but because of the chaotic start to their lives. Your background should not determine your future. I am living proof that the right support at the right time can transform a life – as an immigrant child I struggled in school, and now, as the Minister responsible for children in care, I am determined they too have every chance to fulfil their potential. We need to dream much bigger for these vulnerable children and raise ambition and belief in what they can achieve – whether that means school scholarships, mentoring or help applying to university. Many independent schools are already putting this in action, so this new scheme will help even more provide that stability. It builds on his commitment to expand existing schemes that already offer opportunities to children in care and his ambition for as many as 1,000 independent schools to be involved. The Minister’s call to arms builds on a successful 10-year project run by the Boarding Schools Partnerships and Norfolk County Council, where young people who were either in care or at risk of going into care were taken off the council’s risk register after at least three years in a boarding school. A higher proportion of looked-after children who were at boarding schools achieved See on Page 3
www.theasianindependent.co.uk ENTERTAINMENT December 2018 17 Priyanka Chopra thanks PM Modi for attending her wedding reception Actor Priyanka Chopra on Wednesday expressed her gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending her wedding reception here. Priyanka, who got married to American singer Nick Jonas last weekend in a lavish twin wedding ceremony in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, appeared for a photo-op at Hotel Taj Palace in the national capital. PM Modi was one of the prominent dignitaries at the event which was a close-knit affair with family and close friends. Priyanka took to Twitter to thank the prime minister for his blessings. Tagging Nick, the 36-year-old actor wrote, "A heartfelt thank you to our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for gracing us with your presence. Touched by your kind words and blessings." Similar to the two-part nuptials, the reception was also a fiercely guarded event. There was tight security around the luxury hotel and since the prime minister attended the event, policemen were also on their toes. Priyanka and Nick, 26, exchanged wedding vows on December 1 at Jodhpur's majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace in a Catholic ceremony officiated by the groom's father Kevin Jonas Sr. It was followed by an equally grand wedding as per Hindu traditions on December 2. Congratulations have been pouring in—both from within the fraternity and outside - since the couple first exchanged vows. New Yashoda for RadhaKrishn? Reena Kapoor, who is currently seen as Yashoda in Star Bharat’s RadhaKrishn, seems to be facing some issues. The actress is unhappy with her role of Krishn’s mother. Reena has expressed concern with the way her character is being portrayed on screen. She is also facing problems while travelling to the shoot location. Travelling such long distance and then dealing with the dust and pollution has been yet another reason, as she is an asthma patient. A source shares, “Reena Kapoor has expressed her dissatisfaction with the show for quite some time now. Production is trying to mend things; the actress is now in talks to quit the show altogether. While there is no confirmation on it, we might soon see a new Yashodha on RadhaKrishn.” Sarah Hyland takes social media break amid trolling Days after her cousin was killed in a car crash, actor Sarah Hyland is distancing herself from the social media for a while. The "Modern Family" star was trolled with respect to the 14-year-old Trevor Canaday, who was killed late Saturday night in Omaha, Nebraska, in an alleged drunk driving accident. Hyland announced her decision on Monday that she was stepping away from the internet due to the "horrible negative ignorant words". "You guys finally did it. Your horrible negative ignorant words have broken me. Happy? Staying offline for a while. I have a special announcement and video releasing on Wednesday I believe. So. There's that," Hyland, 28, wrote on Twitter. Earlier Monday, she asked the trolls to keep their opinions about the tragedy to themselves. "You don't know all the details. And how dare you attack when a beautiful life has been lost," the actor added. Over the weekend, Hyland announced on social media that Canaday "was killed by a drunk driver". She said her uncle, who was also in the car, "is still in the hospital in need of more surgeries". Big B to meet UP farmers to pay off their loans Mumbai : After Maharashtra, megastar Amitabh Bachchan will pay off loans of farmers in Uttar Pradesh and will personally meet some of them to give them their bank letters. He will arrange for 70 farmers to travel to Mumbai and receive their bank letters, his spokesperson has said. The superstar will be taking care of 1,398 farmer loans from Uttar Pradesh amounting to over Rs 4.05 crore. Amitabh has done an 'OTS: One Time Settlement with Bank Of India' and cleared the farmer's loans with the bank. He has also invited 70 farmers to Mumbai by blocking an entire train compartment for their travel, to personally give them their bank letters on November 26.The farmers will receive their bank letters by Big B at his office here. When approached, his official spokesperson confirmed: "Yes, Mr Bachchan has cleared the loans of 1398 farmers from Uttar Pradesh. He had earlier paid off the loans of Maharashtra's farmers. And now he has done so for the debted farmers of UP. Around 70 farmers have been chosen to personally travel and receive the bank letters directly from Mr Bachchan in Mumbai, clearing their outstanding dues." Earlier this year, the "Paa" star, who is in Baroda to accept Sayaji Ratna Award, helped over 350 farmers by paying off their debts and also helped the families of around 44 martyrs of Maharashtra. Amitabh and his wife Jaya handed over the amount to the farmers and army martyrs families privately in Mumbai a few months ago.
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December 2018

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