Modernize agriculture activities to hike revenue, Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar tells Udupi farmers
Kundapur: District In-charge Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar stressed on the need for modernization in agriculture for increased revenue and urged the farmers in Udupi district to opt for updated technology and modern facilities.
The minister was speaking after inaugurating the Raitha Samparka Kendra (Farmers’ Contact Centre) of Koteshwara in Kundapur taluk during a programme held jointly by the Udupi Zilla Panchayat and the Agriculture Department.
Explaining that the centres are meant for the benefit of the farmers, Hebbalkar said that the officers will provide help and guidance to the farmers in various aspects, including government projects and provisions. She reminded the officers that they were meant to connect the government and the farmers.
Assuring that the state government was greatly concerned about the welfare of the farmers, the minister said that the government was focusing on ensuring continuation of agricultural activities by providing agricultural equipment and goods to farmers at subsidized rates, and also giving them necessary information related to farming. Hebbalkar again directed government officers to install information boards at prominent points under all gram panchayat limits for the benefit of farmers.
She opined that although India gained Independence, the British ensured agriculture in the country was greatly affected, when they quit the country. They introduced chemicals in agricultural products to prevent progress of India. Since India depends heavily on agriculture, however, the country has fought back and, is growing into a ‘vishwaguru’ in the field of agriculture, Hebbalkar added.
The minister spoke on her recent accident and said that she had survived with the blessings of the Almighty and the people. She emotionally expressed gratitude to both and said that God had saved her life for her to continue in service of the people.
Kundapur MLA Kiran Kumar Kodgi, District Guarantee Committee President Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, District Guarantee Committee Vice-president Dinesh Hegde, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K Vidya Kumari, Superintendent of Police Dr. K Arun, Zilla Panchayat CEO Prathik Bayal and officials of the Agriculture Department were present.
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Delhi HC asks Jaideep Sengar to surrender in Unnao custodial death case
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jaideep Sengar, brother of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Sengar, to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in the custodial death case of the survivor's father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja was hearing a plea by the convict for further extension of interim bail upon suspension of the 10-year sentence.
It observed that the interim bail granted to Jaideep Sengar in July 2024 was last extended in April 2025 and since then, in spite of five dates, no order of any further extension or suspension of his sentence has been passed by the court.
As the senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar urged the bench to extend the period of his release on account of his health, the bench said, "You surrender and then we will see."
"Although there is no extension of interim suspension of sentence granted, we find he has still not surrendered. Before we proceed to consider his application for further extension of suspension of sentence, we require the appellant to first surrender," the bench ordered.
The senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar assured the court that he would surrender by Saturday.
The court listed the matter for hearing next week.
Jaideep Sengar, 50, sought the bail extension on the grounds that he is suffering from oral cancer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) counsel had earlier said it was not a fit case for extension of interim bail, and the prescription given by Jaideep Sengar in support of his plea was fabricated.
In his application, Jaideep Sengar said he was suffering from stage IV oral cancer, a life-threatening condition, and had developed clinical signs of recurrence.
The condition, the plea said, required continuous and specialised medical care.
The plea also informed that Jaideep Sengar has spent about four years in custody.
The high court had granted interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, for two months on medical grounds.
Kuldeep Sengar was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019, for raping the minor in 2017.
On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar, along with Jaideep Sengar, was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor's father.
The survivor's father was arrested, allegedly at the behest of the accused, under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality.
The trial court said no leniency could be shown for killing a family's sole breadwinner.
