Prahlad Joshi urges state government to address sugarcane farmers’ demands immediately
Bengaluru: Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Prahlad Joshi, has strongly urged the Karnataka state government to immediately address the demands of sugarcane farmers, emphasizing that any delay in resolving their issues would not be acceptable.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Friday, Joshi insisted that the state government should urgently call for talks with both sugarcane farmers and sugar mill owners to swiftly resolve the ongoing crisis. He criticized the government's inaction, stating that forcing farmers to protest on the streets brings shame to the government. Joshi called on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the relevant ministers to intervene directly and resolve the issue without further delay.
"Delaying the legitimate demands of sugarcane farmers is not acceptable. It is wrong for the government to pass the blame onto the Centre, especially when the Centre has already granted several concessions to the sugar industry," Joshi said.
Joshi also pointed out that the Centre had already approved additional sugar exports to support the industry. He confirmed that the government had allowed the export of 1.5 million tons of extra sugar, responding to requests from sugar mills. In addition, the Centre has approved the export of molasses. Furthermore, the Centre has ensured that the farmers receive Rs. 3500 per ton for their sugarcane, as per their demands.
He emphasized that the central government had already paid 99% of the payments to sugar mills and that there was a notable increase in the ethanol production from 35 lakh metric tons in the past year.
Joshi criticized the state government for attempting to shift the blame to the Centre instead of taking action at the state level. "The Centre has made significant efforts to support the sugar industry and farmers, but the state government is playing politics and making excuses," he said.
He also commented on the internal discord within the Congress party, stating, "There are conflicting statements from various Congress leaders in the state. They are just making empty promises and talking about irrelevant things."
Reacting to statements from Congress leaders about a "November Revolution," Joshi said that the remarks signified the government's instability. "When the state government talks about revolution, it is an indication of their own failure to govern effectively. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ministers are busy making conflicting statements, and the administration is in complete disarray," Joshi said.
Joshi also remarked on the uncertainty of the so-called November Revolution, stating that while Congress leaders claim to have an agenda, they have failed to show any real commitment to addressing the people's concerns. He urged the state leadership to focus on governance and fulfill their duties in the best interests of the public.
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TCS orders probe, engages external experts in Nashik Case
Mumbai: Tata Consultancy Services on Friday said it has initiated a formal internal investigation into allegations linked to its Nashik unit and engaged independent external experts to ensure transparency in the process.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director K Krithivasan was quoted by The Observer Post as saying that the company has appointed Deloitte and Trilegal as independent counsel to support the probe. The internal investigation is being led by Aarthi Subramanian.
The company has constituted a supervisory committee chaired by independent director Keki Mistry, which will oversee the process. The committee will also review findings and monitor the implementation of recommendations.
Krithivasan said a preliminary review of the company’s internal systems and records had not revealed any complaints of the nature being alleged through its ethics or POSH channels.
He also clarified that an employee named in media reports, Nida Khan, was not part of the human resources function and did not hold any leadership role. He informed that she worked as a process associate.
The company has also rejected reports suggesting that operations at the Nashik facility had been suspended. It asserted that the unit continues to function without disruption with a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct.
