Delhi

Wheat prices have risen again before Diwali, causing concern in the national capital Delhi where it has reached Rs 27,390 per metric ton in the wholesale market. It is expected that the prices may continue to rise in the coming days, as they did in January when wheat prices reached their highest level. Despite the Central Government's efforts, inflation has remained high, with one item's price rising as soon as another's falls. While the prices of tomatoes and green vegetables have gone down, wheat has become more expensive, potentially leading to food inflation. Traders have also noted that food imports are being affected by import duties, putting pressure on the government to remove export duties. As a result, the Central Government must release food items like wheat and rice from government reserves periodically to control inflation. The government must take proactive measures to control the prices of essential commodities, especially before the festive season, to provide relief to the common man.

Due to the increase in the price of wheat, the price of these food items will also increase.

According to agricultural experts, the demand for wheat has increased in the market due to festive days. At the same time, the supply of wheat has been greatly affected due to the increase in demand, due to which the prices have reached their highest level in 8 months. If this trend of increase in prices continues, retail inflation may increase further in the coming days. Wheat is a grain from which various types of food items are prepared. If the price of wheat increases, various food items including rotis, biscuits, pieces of bread, and cakes will become costlier.

40% import duty on wheat by the Government of India

The main thing is that the price of wheat in the national capital Delhi increased by 1.6% on Tuesday. Due to this, the price of wheat reached Rs 27,390 per metric ton in the wholesale market, which is the highest level since February 10. It is being said that wheat prices have increased by approximately 22% in the last six months. Also, Roller Floor Millers Federation President Pramod Kumar S has raised the demand with the Central Government to remove duty on wheat import. In fact, he has said that if the government removes the import duty on wheat, then its price can definitely come down. In fact, the Government of India has imposed a 40% import duty on wheat, and there does not seem to be any immediate plan to remove it.

Also read: Countrymen will not face the shock of inflation during the festive season – Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra

Food prices will fall like this

Also, as of October 1, there were only 24 million metric tons of wheat in the government wheat stock. Which is much less compared to the five-year average of 37.6 million tonnes. However, the Center has procured 26.2 million tonnes of wheat from farmers in crop season 2023, short of the target of 34.15 million tonnes. At the same time, the Central Government estimates that wheat production in the crop season 2023-24 will be around 112.74 million metric tons. This will lead to a decline in the prices of food items.

The weather patterns have changed in India today. According to the Meteorological Department, alert has been issued in many states today, after which there will be a feeling of coolness. At the same time, there is an idea of heavy rains for the next two days in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The weather has changed the effect in other states including Delhi-UP during Navratri. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has feared rain in many states. At the same time, an alert has been issued regarding rain in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other states. With this, snowfall has started in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath Dham received the first snowfall of the season on Sunday. Whereas there will be light rains in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Muzaffarabad. There is a possibility of rain in Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, there will be light rain in some parts of Rajasthan. At the same time, heavy rains are expected in Pt. Bengal and coastal Karnataka including Konkan, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Maharashtra, Bihar.

How will the weather be in the next 24 hours

According to the Meteorological Department, light to moderate rains in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadweep and coastal Karnataka may receive heavy rains at some places. At the same time, light to moderate rain and snowfall may occur on the western Himalayas. At the same time, sporadic hailstorm is possible in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan with light to moderate rains. At the same time, in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and North Bihar, light rains may receive moderate rains at one or two places. Apart from this, there is a possibility of light rain in Northern Madhya Pradesh, Southern Konkan and Goa and Rayalaseema.

Also read: Indian Meteorological Department advised farmers, how to take care of crops and animals in monsoon

How is the weather going to be in Delhi today

According to the Meteorological Department, Delhi-NCR may receive rainfall, due to which the maximum temperature can be seen by 3 to 4 degrees. After this, the cold will also be realized.

What is the mood of the weather in UP

According to the Meteorological Department, there is a possibility of light rain in about 50 districts of Uttar Pradesh till 17-18 October. At the same time, yellow alert has been issued for thunder to moderate rains in Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Sambhal and Badaun.

How will the weather be in Madhya Pradesh

According to the Meteorological Department, there is a possibility of light rain in many districts of Madhya Pradesh. At the same time, during the last 24 hours, there has been rain somewhere in the districts of Ujjain, Gwalior, Chambal and Jabalpur divisions of the state.

Also read: Rain is going to be held in these parts of India, IMD has issued an orange alert

How will the weather be in Rajasthan

There is a possibility of rain again in Rajasthan. According to the Meteorological Department, a new western disturbance is likely to be active by the end of this week. Most areas of Rajasthan are expected to receive light to moderate rains.

 As you know, currently the paddy harvesting season is going on. Every year the governments of Punjab and Haryana talk about imposing strictness on farmers and stopping them from burning stubble. But, in reality, farmers are continuously busy burning stubble. For this reason, due to the pollution being spread due to stubble burning, the AQI i.e. Air Quality Index of Delhi-NCR is continuously increasing towards dangerous levels. Like previous years, the threat of stubble has started increasing in the states of Punjab and Haryana this year too. Let us tell you that despite the strictness of the governments of both the states, farmers are seen burning stubble in the open fields. The smoke rising due to stubble burning is proving fatal for the breathing of the people of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR. The monitoring done by CPCB in Delhi-NCR has reported an average AQI of 263. Because of this, people are at risk of serious diseases.

Stubble is being continuously set on fire in the states of Punjab and Haryana. As the paddy harvesting season is progressing, the cases of stubble burning are also increasing continuously. Due to the smoke and pollution generated by stubble burning, the AQI of many cities of Haryana including Delhi-NCR has reached very poor levels.

Stubble is being burnt without fear in Punjab

Even though it is being claimed that the cases of stubble burning are decreasing in the state of Punjab, the process of openly burning stubble is also continuing. In Derabassi around Chandigarh, stubble was seen burning openly on the side of the highway. Today, if you pass through any national highway in Punjab and Haryana, you will see burnt-black fields on the side of the road. Where the stubble will be seen completely reduced to ashes, farmers cleverly set fire to the stubble in their fields and then leave their fields, so that no legal action can be taken against them.

Also read: Haryana government plans to save environment from residues like stubble etc.

In Haryana, conscious farmers are managing stubble properly.

For your information, let us tell you that there are farmers who believe in managing the stubble instead of burning it. In Naggal village of Panchkula, farmers were seen using the stubble as fertilizer in the fields and directly sowing wheat seeds through a Super Seeder machine. These farmers say that the farmers who can buy expensive machines are the ones who manage the stubble. But, small and marginal farmers have no option other than burning the stubble.

What complaints do farmers have against the government?

In Mankaiya village of Panchkula, some farmers are making heaps of stubble after traditionally harvesting the paddy crop. But, they also complain that instead of employing laborers, they are managing the stubble to burn it. But, they have neither received any assistance nor been given any kind of grant from the government. They have to manage the stubble at their own expense.

Also read: Farmers became aware of the pollution caused by stubble, the percentage of cases reduced in these states

Cases have decreased significantly from before

There has been a decline in the cases of stubble burning in Punjab this year as compared to last year. So far, incidents of stubble burning have been reported at 1764 places in the state. These figures are the lowest in the last 2 years. In the same period, 4327 cases were registered so far in 2021 and 3114 cases in 2022. If we talk about Haryana state, 714 cases of stubble burning have been reported this season. However, if compared to last year, 893 cases had been reported so far last year. If the government of Haryana-Punjab states makes the farmers fully aware and provides them resources, then the challenge of stubble can be rid of. Let us tell you that the recorded AQI of some cities of Haryana is frightening. 255 air quality index was recorded in Karnal-243, Rohtak-182, Jind-155, Faridabad-322, Bahadurgarh-284, Kaithal-269, Kurukshetra-256 and Gurugram.

In the past few days, the price of onion has skyrocketed to Rs 100 per kilogram in several Indian states. Additionally, on Friday, the average wholesale price of onion in Lasalgaon, which is India's largest wholesale onion market, plummeted by 24% in just five days, to Rs 3,650 per quintal. It's worth noting that the recent surge in onion prices before the Diwali festival has raised concerns among consumers. As a result, the Central Government has taken several measures to curb the rise in prices. Furthermore, the Department of Consumer Affairs is considering setting a minimum export price (MEP) of $800 per tonne of onion from October 29, 2023, to December 31, 2023, to address the decline in exports and increase supplies in the domestic market.

Onion prices fall by 24 percent in Lasalgaon

On Friday, it was reported by a media agency that the average wholesale prices of onions in Lasalgaon, India's largest wholesale onion market, had dropped by 24 percent in just five days to Rs 3,650 per quintal. Interestingly, the average wholesale price of onions in Lasalgaon had increased from Rs 2,050 per quintal on October 3 to Rs 4,800 per quintal on October 28. The recent surge in onion prices could be attributed to several factors, including a shortage of supply in both domestic and export markets. In light of this, it would be beneficial to discuss in detail the possible reasons behind the increase in onion prices.  

Also read: The central government has completed its preparations to control inflation before the festival. As a part of this effort, the government has imposed a 40 percent tax on the export of onions to limit their sale in the international market. Previously, there was no export tax on onions. Additionally, the Center has set the Minimum Export Price (MEP) for onion exports at Rs 66,730 per tonne, which means that until December 31, 2023, no onion trader can export onions at a price lower than this.

Farmers can adopt the methods given here instead of burning stubble. Along with stopping the pollution caused by stubble burning, farmer brothers will also get benefits. Pollution levels have increased significantly in many cities including Delhi NCR. Stubble is also one of the reasons behind the increase in pollution levels these days. But, let us know what farmers can do with stubble instead of burning it. Farmers of various states including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab cultivate wheat after paddy. Apart from this, he also cultivates other crops, for which a lot of field preparation is required. Due to this, farmers burn the paddy stalks or stubble left in the fields after harvesting the crop. Farmer brothers burn the stubble to clean the crop residues and prepare the fields for re-sowing.

What is a Mulcher Machine?

There are many machines in site management, among which the mulcher is the first. Apart from controlling residue in paddy crops, mulcher is also an effective agricultural tool. This machine cuts the crop residue into small pieces with the help of a tractor with its blade. Management of paddy crop residues is also done very easily. One should not burn it after using it. Mixing paddy straw with the soil is an effective and efficient solution to maintain the soil and increase its fertility. For example, plowing straw into the soil using a lot of tillage equipment accelerates its breakdown. Also, the structure of the soil is quite spectacular. 

Also read: Mulcher machine is the lifeline of the land.

The government provides grants for stubble management.

Instead of disposal of paddy straws, other options can also be considered. It can be used as fodder for animals. Especially when it is harvested or processed. Many of the governments are making a lot of regulations to encourage straw management. Providing grants for adopting environment-friendly methods or buying machines.

According to the weather department there is a possibility of rain in upcoming days in many states. IMD says that there is a possibility of rain from 24-27 November in Gujarat, south-west Madhya Pradesh, southern Rajasthan, middle Maharashtra and northern Konkan. Let us tell you what the weather pattern says.   

The weather in India seems to have changed a lot these days. Winter has arrived in North India. The cold has increased rapidly in the last few days. The temperature has started decreasing gradually in many states including Delhi. However, heavy rains continue in various areas of North-East including South India even today. Also, a major change may be seen in the weather in the coming days. According to the Weather Department, a Western Disturbance is going to affect North-West and Western India from November 25, due to which changes will be seen in the weather. Due to this change, there is a possibility of rain in South West, Madhya Pradesh, South Rajasthan, Central Maharashtra, North Konkan and Gujarat between 24 and 27 November.

In which areas does the rainy season continue? 

 Light rainfall may also be recorded in the western Himalayan region and the plains of the northwest on November 27 and 28. Apart from this, the Meteorological Department has said that torrential rains will continue in South India for the next two to three days. During this period, there is a possibility of heavy rainfall at some places with light to moderate rainfall in Lakshadweep, Southern Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Coastal Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Weather Department has said that during this period, there are chances of light rain in the western hilly areas as well, which will further increase the cold.

Pollution level in Delhi increases again.

Instead of decreasing, the level of pollution in Delhi is continuously increasing. The people of Delhi had definitely got relief to some extent from the increased pollution after Diwali. But, now once again the level of pollution seems to be worsening. The condition of air quality in Delhi was very poor on Wednesday. The AQI of the city was recorded at 394 on Wednesday. Whereas, a day earlier on Tuesday it was 365. Along with pollution, the havoc of fog can also be seen in Delhi at present. According to the Weather Department, fog will be seen in Delhi this entire week. Along with this, due to rainfall in the mountains, strong winds can blow in the plains.

As you all know, the Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure over the stubble burning in Punjab despite the court's order. "Why should the farmers who are burning stubble get any financial benefit, those who have burnt stubble and are red-flagged should be denied the benefits of minimum support price, besides registration of FIR and imposition of fine on them," the court said. The government should do something for their welfare.

Governments should stop blaming each other. SC 

"When Haryana can do it, why can't Punjab," the court said while commenting on the Punjab government's attitude in preventing stubble burning. The court asked the Punjab government to inform it on the next date how many farmers have been fined for stubble burning and how much of it has been recovered. The court said there should be no politics over the issue. One should not blame or compare one with the other. The Centre and the state should forget politics and find a long-term solution. These observations, suggestions and orders were made by a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia while hearing a matter on air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

Whats the punjab take on this ?

Punjab has said that stubble burning has reduced significantly as compared to the past. A total of 984 FIRs have been registered. He has also been fined Rs two lakh. Flying squads have been deployed to prevent stubble burning in the fields. But, people do not allow them to reach, the road is blocked. Law and order is also a problem. To this, the bench said, "The SHO has been made responsible in the order. You can't talk about law and order. To this, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, referred to the Centre's status report and said Punjab had paid only 6621 environmental compensation. In Punjab, 3415 challans, Rs. 86.8 lakh fine and 473 FIRs have been registered.

As we all know, the harsh winter season is going on. Farmers face many problems in farming. In such a situation, if it rains , then this problem increases further. There is a possibility of rain in some districts of western Uttar Pradesh in the next one or two days. Now there are some special things for the farmers, which need special attention . According to reports, there is a possibility of rain in Agra, Hathras, Aligarh and nearby parts.

What to do to prevent plant diseases

For the last several months, the ready crop has cost a lot and the hard work of the farmers . Now in such a situation, farmers are very worried about their crops . To save the crop, it is most necessary to monitor the cultivation daily. If any disease is seen in the leaf of the plant, immediately uproot it and bury it inside the ground. If more diseases are noticed, consult a specialist immediately and for precaution, spray a fungicide Carbendazim Manacuzeb or Metalaxyl And can also spray mancozeb.

Also Read : India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues rain alert in many states

If the weather is favourable for scorching in potato crops, then spray 2 grams per litre of Ina fungicide. If white leaf spot disease occurs in mustard crop, apply copper oxychloride or carbendazim mancozeb in 3 grams per litre of water Spray.

Do not forget to do this work

If there is a possibility of rain in your area, do not irrigate. If there is too much moisture in the field, vegetable crops can be majorly damaged. At the same time, a lot of diseases can occur. Spraying germs, insecticides or weedicides is best when the sun is open . If there is fog and cloudy sky and there is a possibility of rain, avoid pesticide spraying as well.

Also Read: Farmers should pay attention to these pesticides, government bans them

If the crop has flowered, avoid the use of any kind of chemical pesticides. Any crop is flowering . Do not use chemical sprays there. The growth of the flower will stop considerably. Flowers will fall off, preventing grains and fruit formation . In such a situation, use natural methods, smoke, moisture, neem oil and ash of tubers . Apart from this, bees have been kept in the field and if they come there, do not spray chemicals during the day or else they will die. Use at the time the bees return to the hives in the evening .  

This movement of farmers will start from January 22 and will run till 26 January. A strike of farmers in Punjab had just ended, and now the farmers are planning to strike once again. Now if we look at the reason for this, then this is the "failure" of the state government in introducing this new agricultural policy. Farmers will protest against the offices of Deputy Commissioners from 22 January to 26 January.

11 -member committee constituted to draft agricultural policy

Let us explain you that in January last year, the then Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal formed an 11 -member committee to draft the new agricultural policy by 31 March 2023. According to various media agencies, a member of this committee said on the condition of anonymity that the draft of the policy has not been prepared at the moment. Some members of the committee went abroad, due to which the discussion on the policy is quite pending. Soon, a meeting will be held to finalise it.

Also read: Good news: State government will release new policy related to agriculture in this state

AAP government will announce soon

Let us explain you that in this episode, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kong says that the Chief Minister of the state Bhagwant Mann has recently spoken to the farmers on this issue. Agricultural policy is the highest priority for the AAP government in the state. Suggestions have already been taken from about 5 thousand farmers. Regarding the delay in the policy, the spokesperson said that after 2000 there was no agricultural policy and the AAP government had started work on the policy soon after coming to power. He says that the policy will be announced soon.

Also read: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said 50 lakh tonnes of paddy reached the mandis of the state, farmers get Rs 4300 crore

BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) had already given an ultimatum

In fact, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) has already given an ultimatum to the government to announce the policy or face opposition in the past. Union General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan says that we have already submitted a memorandum regarding the pro -peasant steps to be included in the policy. But it seems that the government is delaying it under the pressure of corporations. At the same time, BKU (Kadian) national spokesperson Ravneet Brar says that the government had promised MSP and new agricultural policy on all crops to increase the income of farmers. However, nothing has been done even after about 2 years of coming to power.

Farmers are planning another demonstration in Delhi on February 13th to press their demands. The administration in Delhi-Haryana is on high alert because of the farmers' Delhi Chalo campaign. In addition, the police have applied Section 144 to the borders near Delhi since Sunday, resulting in the entire sealing of Delhi's borders. As a result, the Farmers Union will be unable to enter Delhi. The march of farmer organisations is intensifying towards the national capital, Delhi. Actually, the farmers have called for a 'Delhi Chalo March' on February 13, 2024, Tuesday.

On Sunday, the Delhi Police implemented Section 144 in the national capital to maintain order and prevent farmers' protests. According to reports, Section 144 might stay in place in Delhi until March 11, 2024, or for one month. Even before the farmers launch their 'Delhi Chalo' campaign, the administration in Delhi and Haryana is on high alert. The police have blocked the border with Delhi. Furthermore, internet service has been discontinued in certain regions of Haryana.

These things will not be permitted to enter Delhi.

According to media reports, gatherings near Delhi's borders will be considered illegal. Also, with the adoption of Section 144, vehicles such as tractors, trolleys, buses, commercial vehicles, horses, and so on were prohibited from entering Delhi's limits. Aside from that, anybody entering Delhi from outside the city limits is not permitted to bring sticks, rods, weapons, or swords. If anyone is detected breaching the directives, they would be arrested under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code 1860.

Also to read: How much will farmers gain and lose from the government's new agriculture laws?

The entry of commercial vehicles will be limited.

According to the Traffic Police, the movement of commercial vehicles from Delhi's nearby borders, such as the Singhu border, has been prohibited. It is also said that on Tuesday, February 13th, the borders of Delhi will be fully limited. In such a case, the general public may encounter difficulties commuting. Let us inform you that, in response to farmer demonstrations, police patrols and barricading have intensified on the borders of Apsara Bhopra, Ghazipur, and Ghaziabad, preventing the farmers union from entering Delhi.

Internet service may also be halted in certain districts.

Following the announcement of farmers' organisations' march to Delhi, Section 144 was deployed in about 15 districts of Haryana on Sunday. Internet services were also halted in numerous Haryana districts, including Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Kaithal, beginning at 6 a.m. yesterday, Sunday. Internet services in these regions may stay unavailable until February 13.

'Delhi Chalo March' on February 13th.

Farmer organisations in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana have called for protests on February 13, 2024, against the Minimum Support Price (MSP) law. The United Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced the 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13. It is believed that around 200 farmer unions will participate in this march.

What are the farmers' requests for the Farmers Movement?

Farmers' demands for this farmers' movement include the government providing a legal guarantee of MSP, implementing the Kisan Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pensions for farmers and agricultural labourers, farm loan waivers, and justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The Government of India recently honored the great agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan posthumously with the Bharat Ratna for his contribution to the cause of farmers. Today, farmers demanding MSP law for crops are demanding payment of the MSP amount under MS Swaminathan's C2+50% formula.

Farmers from across the country are marching to Delhi in support of 12 demands, including making a law to guarantee purchase at the minimum support price. The borders have been sealed at many places for farmers. This is not the first time that farmers have taken to the streets. Farmers have always been raising their demands through agitation. Farmers are demanding the implementation of the recommendations made by the MS Swaminathan Commission on MSP. Let us know about the Swaminathan Commission and its recommendations.

The National Commission on Farmers was a commission formed in November 2004.

A commission was formed under the chairmanship of famous agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan in November 2004 to study the problems of farmers. It was called 'The National Commission on Farmers’. From December 2004 to October 2006, this committee submitted six reports to the government. Many recommendations were made in these.

Also Read: Withdrawal of agricultural laws, five demands also accepted, farmers movement postponed

Swaminathan Commission in its recommendation had recommended giving 50 percent more of the crop cost to the farmers to increase their income. This is called the C2+50% formula. The agitating farmers are demanding the implementation of the MSP Guarantee Act based on this formula.

What is Swaminathan's C2+50% formula?

It is known that to calculate this formula, the Swaminathan Commission divided the cost of the crop into three parts i.e. A2, A2+FL, and C2. A2 costs include all cash expenses incurred in producing the crop. In this, all the costs ranging from fertilizer, seeds, water, and chemicals to labor, etc. are included. 

In the A2+FL category, along with the total crop cost, the estimated cost of labor of the farmer family is also included. Whereas in C2, apart from cash and non-cash costs, lease rent of land and interest on related things are also included. Swaminathan Commission had recommended giving MSP by adding one and a half times the cost of C2 i.e. 50 percent of the cost of C2. Now farmers are demanding to give them MSP under this formula. However, at present there does not seem to be any solution to this issue between the government and the farmers.