Priyanka Gandhi demands answers from govt on value of rupee
New Delhi, Jan 11: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday demanded answers from the government on the value of the rupee reaching its "lowest level ever" against the US dollar.
The rupee declined 18 paise to breach the 86-mark against the US dollar for the first time on Friday. It settled at 86.04 against the US currency.
"The value of rupee against the dollar has reached its lowest level ever. For the first time in history, the value of one dollar has become 86.4 rupees," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
She said during Manmohan Singh's tenure, when the value of one dollar was 58-59 rupees, Narendra Modi used to link the value of the rupee with the prestige of the government.
He used to say, "I know everything. The currency of any country cannot fall like this...", she said.
"Today he himself is the prime minister and all the records on the fall of the rupee have been broken. He should answer to the people of the country," the Congress leader said.
डॉलर के मुकाबले रुपये की कीमत अब तक के सबसे निचले स्तर पर पहुंच गई है। इतिहास में पहली बार एक डॉलर की कीमत 86.4 रुपये हो गई है।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 11, 2025
डॉ. मनमोहन सिंह जी के कार्यकाल में जब एक डॉलर की कीमत 58-59 रुपये थी, तब नरेंद्र मोदी जी रुपये की कीमत को सरकार की आबरू से जोड़ते थे। वे कहते थे,… pic.twitter.com/IOG3oaUeA3
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KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
