20,000 Bihar farmers get input subsidy for organic farming
Patna, May 5: In a move to promote organic farming in Bihar, more than 20,000 farmers were on Saturday provided agriculture input interim subsidy of Rs 6,000 each directly in their accounts for cultivating organic vegetables.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, launching a software for advance payment of agriculture input subsidy, first time in the country, said a pilot project to promote organic vegetable farming had been started in the state.
The government has selected 20,173 farmers in four districts of Patna, Nalnda, Vaishali and Samastipur, and provided each of them Rs 6,000 directly in their bank accounts through e-cash facility.
Kumar reiterated his government's commitment to promote organic farming in the state as part of the third phase of Bihar's Agriculture Road Map (2017-22) that will focus on increasing income of farmers, among other things.
He said the road map's main focus was ensuring sustainable development of the agriculture sector by emphasising on organic farming through development of organic corridors.
"Organic farming is one of the focus areas of the agriculture road map. We will promote organic farming and help farmers opt for it in areas along the river Ganga for protection of environment," he said.
Kumar pointed out that 76 per cent of Bihar's population was dependent on agriculture for livelihood.
He claimed that Bihar had recorded growth and improvement in the agriculture sector since the first agriculture road map was implemented for 2008-12, followed by the second for 2012-17. "Our rice, wheat, maize, potato and vegetables production have remarkably increased."
The Chief Minister has repeatedly said that he wanted to have one or two agriculture products from the state on the plate of every Indian in the coming years.
Agriculture is the backbone of Bihar's economy, employing 81 per cent of the workforce and generating nearly 42 per cent of the state's domestic product, according to the state government figures.
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Notices issued against 24 people for protesting against Waqf Bill by wearing black badges in UP
Muzaffarnagar (UP) (PTI): Authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district have issued notices against 24 people for protesting against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 by wearing black badges and asked them to furnish bonds of Rs 2 lakh each.
Superintendent of Police (City) Satyanarayan Prajapat on Saturday told reporters that notices were served to 24 persons in this connection, and added that police have identified more people on the basis of CCTV footage.
The notices were issued by City Magistrate Vikas Kashyap on the police report, asking them to furnish bonds of Rs two lakh each after appearing before the court on April 16. These people were found protesting against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and wearing black badges on their arms during last Friday prayers of Ramzan in different mosques here on March 28.
The people who got notices issued against them said they wore black badges only to show protest in a democratic way.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, asserting that the legislation is not against Muslims or intended to hurt their religious feelings, but seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill by a 288-232 vote in the early hours of Thursday, after nearly 12 hours of debate, and the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the legislation following an over 13-hour debate.
The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it.
