Farmers end protest in Pipli after assurance of 'appropriate price' from Haryana govt
Sunflower MSP demand
Kurukshetra, Jun 13: Farmers protesting over the MSP for sunflower seeds at Pipli in Haryana's Kurukshetra called off their agitation on Tuesday night after an assurance from the state government of "appropriate price" for the crop.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said after fresh talks with the district administration in the evening, the farmers have ended the protest and the national highway blockade in Pipli has been lifted.
Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shantanu Sharma told PTI that farmers have been assured of "appropriate price" for sunflower crop.
Sharma said the Haryana government always stands by farmers. "Either by increasing (crop) rate or 'bhavantar' rate, it is the Haryana government's decision to ensure right price of the crop and we will do this," he said.
The DC also said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had promised setting up of a unit for processing 20,000 metric tonnes for sunflower in Shahabad and it will soon be fulfilled.
Talking to reporters here, Tikait said that the local committee of farmers which were holding talks with the government reached an agreement in the evening as per which the government has agreed on their MSP demand and also agreed to release the farmers arrested recently during Shahabad protest by following the process of law.
"Our agitation here was that procurement should be at the MSP. We had sought the rate which was fixed by the Centre," he said.
"In every state, the MSP rate will have to be given. A bigger agitation will be needed in the country on legal guarantee of MSP. A beginning has been made here," Tikait said.
The protest here has ended and the road has been cleared, he said.
The protesting farmers had blocked the National Highway-44 near Pipli, which connects Delhi with Chandigarh, and some other routes since Monday afternoon after holding a mahapanchayat on the issue.
The district administration had since Monday held several round of talks with the protesting farmers, but breakthrough came only in the evening after the state government gave an assurance on the demand.
Soon after the agreement was reached, the farmers celebrated their victory and also burst crackers.
On Monday, the farmers had held 'MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao Mahapanchayat', called by the BKU (Charuni), at a grain market in Pipli close to NH-44. Subsequently, the farmers blocked the highway in support of their demand.
The blockade of the highway had caused inconvenience to commuters as they were stuck in traffic jams and forced to cover longer distances to reach their destinations due to the traffic diversions.
Many truck drivers said that the consignments being carried by them for their delivery at various points has got delayed due to the blockade.
Tikait had earlier asked the state government to accept the demand or send farmers to jail.
The farmers had been demanding that the state government procure sunflower seeds at an MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.
Under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana -- price difference payment scheme -- the state government was giving Rs 1,000 per quintal as interim support for sunflower crop sold below MSP.
On June 6, farmers led by BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni blocked the highway near Shahabad here demanding that the government procure sunflower seeds at MSP. Police used water cannons and batons to disperse the protesters.
Later, nine BKU (Charuni) leaders, including its president, were arrested over various charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.
On Tuesday, when asked if farmers have been assured of Rs 6,400 MSP for sunflower, Tikait said "the farmers will get the rate fixed by the Centre".
He said that it is not the question of "forcing the government to bow before their demand, but we had been seeking what is our right".
When asked if the Haryana government will increase the 'Bhavantar' or give Rs 6,400 per quintal for sunflower, Tikait said "in whichever way they give, the farmers will get the MSP".
Chief Minister Khattar on Saturday released Rs 29.13 crore as interim compensation to 8,528 farmers for sunflower grown on 36,414 acres.
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Noida International Airport appoints Nitu Samra as interim CEO
New Delhi (PTI): Noida International Airport on Friday announced the appointment of its Chief Financial Officer Nitu Samra as the interim Chief Executive Officer after authorities denied permission for foreign national Christoph Schnellmann to be at the helm.
"This change follows directions issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) that the Chief Executive Officer of an airport in India is required to be an Indian national," NIA said in a statement.
Samra will replace Schnellmann, a Swiss national who has led Noida International Airport (NIA) as the CEO since August 2020.
The regulatory issue related to the requirement of having an Indian national as CEO has been delaying the start of commercial operations of the airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28.
Schnellmann will join the airport's Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chairman. In this role, he will continue to support the project and its transition to operations, the statement said.
With immediate effect, NIA said Samra has been appointed as the CEO on an interim basis until the Board of Directors can conclude a formal selection process.
Samra has been serving as the CFO since October 2021 and was closely involved in the airport’s development journey, overseeing financial stewardship, governance, and strategic planning during a key phase of the project, the statement added.
NIA will be operated by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a public-private partnership.
Originally scheduled to commence passenger services in September 2024, NIA is being developed in four phases, along with a dedicated cargo terminal. It received an aerodrome license from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in March.
YIAPL Chairman Daniel Bircher said that since the inauguration of the airport by the Prime Minister, the goal was to enable the start of operations as early as possible.
"This management change brings the airport into compliance with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security requirements while maintaining continuity in the airport’s leadership team. The newly structured team will support a smooth transition into operations, guided by clear and transparent governance and a strong corporate culture," he said.
On March 28, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said commercial flight operations from the airport would start in the next 45 to 60 days.
Among the largest greenfield airport projects in the country, NIA will initially have a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum.
Once fully developed, the airport will have a total passenger handling capacity of 70 million.
The first phase of NIA has been developed at an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore. 'DXN' is the code for the airport.
The airport features a 3,900-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with modern navigation systems, including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and advanced airfield lighting.
The peak handling capacity in the first phase will be 30 flights per hour.
In the first phase, there will be 28 aircraft stands, and the projected cargo capacity is around 2.5 lakh tonnes.
Terminal 1 of the airport is spread across 1,37,985 square metres with 48 check-in counters. Over 40 acres of land have been earmarked for developing MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities at the airport.
