Telangana CM KCR gives 24-hour deadline to PM Modi over paddy issue
New Delhi, Apr 11: Stepping up protest against the Centre's paddy procurement policy, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Monday gave 24 hours deadline to the Modi-government to respond if it will buy parboiled rice from the state.
If the central government fails to respond, Rao threatened to take the protest across the country.
Staging a dharna along with his TRS party leaders at Telangana Bhawan here, Rao warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "Don't play with the sentiments of our farmers, they have power to topple the government."
Farmers are not beggars, they have the right to seek minimum support price (MSP) for their produce, he said.
"With folded hands, I urge Modiji and (Piyush) Goyal ji to respond to the state's demand on paddy procurement within 24 hours. After that, we will take a call," Rao said.
Rao said if the Centre does not respond, he would further intensify the protest across the country.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait also expressed solidarity with the chief minister Rao at the day-long dharna here.
This is the Telangana Rashtra Samithi's first protest rally in Delhi after coming to power in the state in 2014. The party MPs, MLCs, MLAs, and entire cabinet ministers sat on the dharna.
The TRS has intensified the protest and reached Delhi after the Central government refused Telangana's request to buy parboiled rice in the current rabi season.
The Centre is saying that it can procure only raw rice and not the parboiled ones which are not consumed largely in India.
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TN seeks duty-free cotton imports to support textile sector: CM Vijay writes to PM
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the import duty on cotton.
In his first letter to Modi after taking over as chief minister of the state, he said Tamil Nadu is the country’s largest textile and apparel exporting state.
Lakhs of people are dependent on this sector for both direct and indirect employment, especially women from rural and semi-urban backgrounds, Vijay pointed out.
Stating that the industry is facing a severe crisis due to an increase in cotton prices and consequently yarn prices, he said, “I understand this is caused primarily due to a shortage in cotton production and increased trading activity in the country.”
Pointing out that the price of cotton has increased from Rs 54,700 to Rs 67,700 per candy—an increase of 25 per cent over the last two months—while yarn prices have increased from Rs 301 to Rs 330 per kg, he said, “In this situation, the continued supply of raw material can be ensured only through imports.”
However, there is an import duty of 11 per cent on cotton, he said, adding that in such a situation, permitting duty-free cotton imports will help the industry meet increasing export commitments and remain globally competitive.
Vijay said that after agriculture, the textile and apparel sector is one of the largest employment-generating sectors.
“There is a significant responsibility on the government to safeguard the employment of lakhs of people and ensure the sustainability of the textile value chain," he said.
“Hence, I request your intervention to remove the import duty on cotton from the existing 11 per cent to 0 per cent to ensure the availability of raw material. This measure will enable the textile and apparel industry to remain globally competitive, enhance exports, and protect jobs,” he added.
