Environment of honesty prevailing in country: Modi
New Delhi, June 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the country is witnessing an environment of honesty where many citizens are coming forward to make their contribution towards nation building.
"Today, an environment of honesty has been created in the country. A large number of people are taking steps to contribute towards nation building," Modi said at AIIMS after dedicating five health projects to the nation.
Modi said this change in the mindset has been brought about by the government which is ensuring all resources at its disposal are used for the benefit of the country and its people.
"There is a faith in the people that each and every paisa of the tax they pay is being utilised for the benefit of the country," he said and added the country is proceeding with a commitment for a "New India".
The Prime Minister said his request to the people of the country, who have the ability to pay, to forego their LPG gas subsidy resulted in 1.25 crore people giving away their subsidy. "This strongly reflects the positivity among our citizens," he said.
But what is yet not known in the public is a similar story of honesty and commitment towards nation building in the railways and that too without any announcement or request to him, Modi said, adding that people would be astonished to recognise this strength of the country.
"Mere addition of an option of foregoing the subsidy in the railway forms resulted in 42 lakh senior citizen passengers not availing the benefit in the last eight to nine months. This is the new environment in the country," he said.
As the audience, many of whom were doctors from AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, applauded at the revelation, Modi went on to share another incident when he had urged the doctors to provide free service and guidance to pregnant women on the ninth day of every month.
"I am happy that thousands of doctors came forward, hung a board outside their hospitals about the free service, and as pregnant women came to know of it, many of them started coming. Under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, till now 1.25 crore pregnant women have been treated by these doctors," he said.
"I want more doctors to come forward as we all have to take some extra steps to solve the problems of our country," Modi added.
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Consumers feeling the heat of rising tender coconut prices in Karnataka
Bengaluru: The cost of tender coconuts has skyrocketed in Karnataka, with retail prices now ranging between Rs 50 and Rs 60 per coconut. In parts of North India, prices have even touched Rs 80 to Rs 100. This price hike is reportedly attributed to a combination of extreme temperatures in Northern India and lower yields in Karnataka, which has been facing its own heatwave.
Maddur, the largest market for tender coconuts in India, has seen average wholesale prices fluctuating between Rs 38 and Rs 50 per coconut over the past three months. Retail prices are higher and depend upon distance from key markets such as Davangere, Tumakuru, Mandya, Hassan, and others as reported by Deccan Herald on Saturday.
During June and July of this year, tender coconuts were available for around Rs 35 in Karnataka, the country's leading coconut producer. However, prices have spiked due to a variety of factors. According to the state government's online agriculture marketing information website, Krishi Marata Vahini, wholesale prices have risen by at least Rs 10,000 per 1,000 coconuts compared to last year.
V. Rajannab, Deputy Director of the Tumakuru APMC Yard, attributed the supply disruption to the "heatwave conditions of the summer of 2024," explaining that farmers could harvest only 30% to 40% of their expected yield. He told the news outlet that the increased demand from North Indian states has further driven up prices in the local market. Nearly 60% of Karnataka's tender coconuts are shipped to North India, with states like Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat now seeking supplies, he added.
Officials from the horticulture department have suggested that the high price of ball copra could also have impacted the supply of tender coconut. “The price of ball copra has more than doubled in the last three months, going from Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000 a tonne. There is a general feeling that the price could go further high, which is why most of the farmers are not harvesting tender coconuts,” Horticulture Deputy Director Kadiregowda was quoted as saying by DH.
However, there is some hope for price relief in the near future. With copious rains this monsoon, the yield is anticipated to improve, which could further help stabilise the market and bring prices down in the coming weeks.
