Farmers being 'looted' in the name of crop insurance, alleges Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi, Nov 5 : Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the crop insurance scheme, alleging that farmers are being "looted" and the 'chowkidaar' has made his intentions clear that "he will steal from others to fill the coffers of his friends".
Taking to Twitter, he alleged the motive of the scheme is to fill the accounts of "suit-boot friends" with thousands of crores of rupees.
There was no immediate reaction from the government over the allegations.
"After 'looting' Air Force in Rafale, now farmers are being looted in the name of crop insurance. The motive is only one: filling thousands of crores of Rupees in the accounts of their suited-booted friends.
"The chowkidaar has made his intentions clear: Will steal from others to fill the coffers of friends," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
During his campaign speeches, Modi had said that he would be a 'chowkidaar' (watchman) of government treasury and would not allow anyone to misuse public money.
Rahul Gandhi cited a media report quoting a senior journalist who alleged that the government's crop insurance scheme is a "bigger scam" than Rafale.
The Congress has questioned the Modi government's crop insurance scheme, alleging that the compensation to farmers is far less than the premium taken from them by the private players.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
