New Delhi: An Empowered Group of Ministers headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is expected to meet on Tuesday over relief measures to tackle the drought-like situation unfolding in several states. There is 21 per cent rainfall deficiency across the country, which is affecting the sowing of kharif crops. Sources say the EGOM will primarily focus on addressing fodder and water scarcity, besides insulating farmers from higher input costs. The...
07:20 AM, Jul 31, 2012
New Delhi: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will lead a team to drought-affected areas in four states Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan - during August 1-3 to assess the rain deficit and water scarcity situation. "The meeting will be held with the Chief Ministers of the affected states and will review the rainfall deficiency and its impact on kharif crops, water and fodder availability," a senior Agriculture Ministry official said. The...
11:31 PM, Jul 30, 2012
New Delhi: Senior NCP leader Praful Patel has been included in the Group of Ministers to tackle corruption, a development which assumes significance against the backdrop of recent complaint by the UPA ally that its voice was not being heard in Government functioning. Patel was nominated in the important GoM by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a few days back, sources told PTI in New Delhi. However, he did not attend...
08:45 PM, Jul 30, 2012
New Delhi: The crowds at Jantar Mantar, the venue of the indefinite fast by Anna Hazare and his team, continued to remain impressive on the second day of fast by the anti-corruption crusader on Monday. This after more than 6000 people came to support Anna during the weekend. While the protests by Anna and his team were on, members of India Against Corruption on Monday took to the streets, this...
06:59 PM, Jul 30, 2012
New Delhi: A group of Anna Hazare supporters on Monday staged a protest outside Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's residence but Team Anna said it has no role in the incident. Around 50 youths reached Pawar's 6, Janpath residence on Monday afternoon and tried to enter the premises. However, they were prevented by the security personnel. Soon, more police personnel arrived at the scene and detained the protesters. This is the...
06:00 PM, Jul 30, 2012
Thane: Voicing concern over deficient monsoon rains, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the country may face a "serious" situation if it does not rain in the next two months. "Everything depends on the return of rains in August and September. But if it doesn't, the situation would become serious," he said. Pawar was speaking at the inauguration of a skywalk at Bonkode in Navi Mumbai. Monsoon rains...
02:41 AM, Jul 30, 2012
Pune: With the country receiving deficient rainfall, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday said weather experts did not seem to be optimistic about revival of monsoon in the parched regions, forcing the government to draw water management plans till July next year. "Reports from experts on the monsoon making up the deficit in the rest of the season are not optimistic. We are making plans for water management till...
10:34 PM, Jul 29, 2012
Union Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar has raised an alarm over possible drought this year. "Low rainfall has led to drought problem in several regions of the country. I am hoping and praying that there will be adequate rain in August and September which will provide relief. But as of now the situation is worrying," said Pawar. ...
03:08 PM, Jul 29, 2012
New Delhi: Monsoon rains continued below average in the past week, the weather office said on Thursday, keeping much of India's rain-fed areas still thirsty halfway through the June to September season. Monsoon rains were 20 per cent below average in the week to July 25 after a 22 per cent shortfall the previous week. But the rains improved over rice and soybean growing areas of eastern and central India,...
07:41 PM, Jul 26, 2012
New Delhi: Nearly a week after skipping work over problems with the Congress, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar resumed office on Thursday, a day after NCP-Congress announced a truce. The NCP's tiff with the Congress came to an end on Wednesday with both parties agreeing to set up coordination centres. Pawar had stopped coming to the ministry from June 23, and also was not responding to calls from ministry officials. ...
11:28 AM, Jul 26, 2012
New Delhi: NCP leader Praful Patel on Wednesday evening did a u-turn and said the NCP never wanted to opt of the UPA alliance. While speaking to IBN18 Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Praful said, "We were not fighting all guns or anything. We were simply stating a fact better coordination both at the Centre and the State and I think after the meeting with Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh, I...
10:20 PM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: The week-long NCP-Congress crisis is finally over as both the parties agreed to set up coordination committees in Delhi and Mumbai to resolve differences. NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday evening in New Delhi to bring an end to the stand off. Addressing the media after the meeting, Praful said that he and Pawar discussed...
06:29 PM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: 5:19 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel at his residence. 4:58 pm: Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel reach Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence at 7, Race Course Road ahead of the meeting. 4:48 pm: Praful Patel meets Sharad Pawar ahead of latter's meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi. 4:30 pm: NCP, Congress reach agreement and a...
04:18 PM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: The stand off between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress is easing off with the Prime Minister's Office set to announce the setting up of a co-ordination committee, which has been a key demand of NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi will meet Pawar on Wednesday evening. While Congress President Sonia Gandhi declined to comment on...
01:07 PM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: At a time when drought is looming large over the country and food inflation is going up, it seems Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has gone missing, forcing the Prime Minister's Office to virtually take over the ministry. Pawar, who turned vocal with his ire over "lack of coordination" within the UPA alliance, had on Thursday sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi...
09:10 AM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi/Mumbai: There is rebellion against Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan as 43 of the 82 Congress MLAs wrote a letter of discontent against his style of functioning even as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) kept the Centre guessing on its next move. The letter signed by the MLAs points that there is anger among the constituents of the government over the lack of progress on several projects. It lists...
11:55 PM, Jul 24, 2012
New Delhi: Hours after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said that it would decide on ties with the Congress by Thursday, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the rift between the parties. Earlier on Tuesday, NCP sources said, "If we don't attend Cabinet meet on Thursday, then there is no turning back." The Maharashtra unit of the NCP also conveyed to its central leadership...
06:58 PM, Jul 24, 2012
New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party on Tuesday said that it will take its final decision on its ties with the Congress by Thursday morning. "If we don't attend Cabinet meet on Thursday, then there is no turning back," said party sources. The Maharashtra unit of the NCP has conveyed to its central leadership that if the Centre walks out, the state coalition would be put in jeopardy. The NCP-Congress...
02:19 PM, Jul 24, 2012
Guwahati molestation case key accused arrested in UP. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and NCP leader Praful Patel attended outgoing President Pratibha Patil's farewell ceremony and left. ...
11:56 PM, Jul 23, 2012
A Mahapanchayat now tells Maruti management they must hire more locals. ...
10:29 PM, Jul 23, 2012
