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Milk supply in Maharashtra hit as dairy farmers agitate against declining prices

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8 years ago

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Milk supply in Maharashtra hit as dairy farmers agitate against declining prices

Farmers’ organisations in Maharashtra stopped supply of milk in the state from midnight of Sunday, July 15, protesting declining returns and agitating for a hike of Rs 5 per litre in the procurment price.

Earlier, milk unions in Maharashtra raised the procurement price per litre of milk for farmers by Rs 3 from 21 July onward.

“Either increase the procurement price by Rs 5, or directly deposit an additional money of Rs 5 per litre in each dairy farmer’s account,” Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) leader Raju Shetti, whose organization has called the strike, told CNN News18.

The demand is expected to put an additional burden of Rs 400 crore on the state government, said media reports.

Against the 2.4 crore litres of milk being supplied by farmers every day in the state, only 25 lakh litres was supplied on Monday, claimed farmer leader Raju Shetti, according to media reports.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier claimed that the milk supply to urban areas won’t be affected due to the strike. State dairy development minister Mahadeo Jankar was also reported to have said the government was fully prepared to handle the situation and assured that milk supply to Mumbai won’t be impacted. He reportedly asked Shetti not to politicise the issue and called upon SSS activists not to take law into their hand.

About 63 vehicles carrying two lakh litre of milk were blocked and some of them allegedly vandalised by the activists of Raju Shetti-led SSS since midnight across Maharashtra, reported DNA. They emptied vehicles and threw tetra pack of milk on roads in Baramati, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Vaijapur, Aurangabad, Buldhana and Amravati as a part of their agitation to demand higher price for cow’s milk.

SSS chief and a Lok Sabha MP from Hatkanangle in Kolhapur district, Shetti, who was also a former ally of the BJP in the state, said the decision was taken because the state government was not taking any steps to increase farmers’ income. “We have to press for our demands because the state government is not taking any concrete decision to increase farmers’ income,” he said on Sunday.

Farmer leaders claimed that subsidy to milk powder producing companies has not benefited farmers in any way.

Shetti said, “Farmers sell milk to dairies at Rs 17 per litre. After processing it, the dairies package it in pouches and sell it at a minimum rate of Rs 42 per litre. The difference in earnings has not been passed on to the farmer.”

Shetti had pulled out of the NDA and the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra last year, accusing the Centre of failing to honour promises made to farmers.

SSS spokesman Yogesh Pande was quoted by DNA as saying, “The Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should intervene and address the issue. The government should not exercise power to puncture the agitation. Cow milk prices had dropped considerably and most dairies in Maharashtra were paying Rs 17-Rs 18 per litre to farmers, as against Rs 24 six months ago. It is ironical that the price paid by most dairies is less than the cost of packaged drinking water while farmers have to bear production cost of Rs 35 per litre.”

Pande said the milk supply to Mumbai and most of the other cities and towns will be crippled from Tuesday onwards after the agitation during the day today gathers a momentum.

Maharashtra requires one crore litres of milk supply on a daily basis, of which Mumbai alone needs 70 lakh litres every day, reported Hindustan Times.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which jumped in the fray in support of the protest, claimed that it used to offer Rs 28 to farmers for one litre milk. The Congress too has supported the agitation.

Meanwhile, All India Kisan Sabha extended support to the protest. It condemned the restraining orders issued by the law enforcement agencies.

“The legitimate demands of the struggle are implementation of remunerative price for milk at the declared minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 27 per litre instead of Rs 17 per litre now. Failing this the state government should pay the difference directly to the milk producers under the ‘Bhavantar’ scheme,” AIKS leader Dr Ashok Dhawale said.

He criticised the government for its actions against activists involved in this struggle, instead of acceding to the legitimate demands of the milk farmers.

He further added that the police have time and again sent notices to AIKS activists and demanded that the state government must immediately concede and implement the demands of the milk farmers who are suffering severe losses for the last several months.

According to media reports, officials have said that Mumbai will not be affected as it has enough buffer stock to last two days. Big dairies have affirmed that they will continue to distribute milk in Mumbai. Big players in milk cooperatives have said they will continue to distribute milk. RS Sodhi, MD of Amul, told The Times of India, “We are dispatching full quantity as usual and have taken required action for a smooth supply.” Sodhi added that they will resort to seeking police assistance in escorting vehicles if the need arose.

As many as 55 lakh milk pouches are sold in Mumbai every day with Gujarat-based Amul having the highest market share of 30 percent followed by Kolhapur-based Gokul, dairy department officials said.

Shetti, though, warned the Maharashtra government of a “satyagraha” if they attempted to bring milk from other states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra. “The government says that milk would be brought from other states, especially Gujarat and Karnataka. We’ll start a satyagraha and ensure that no milk is brought to from outside. It is the tactic of the government to disrupt protest by doing this,” he told ANI.

Ajit Nawale of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha said that the agitation would intensify further if the state government failed to procure milk at higher prices or did not give special subsidy to milk farmers.

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Over 5,000 tribals join BJP in Assam’s Goalpara ahead of elections

More than 5,000 tribals, largely from the Garo community, joined the BJP in Assam’s Goalpara district during a large-scale ST Morcha programme ahead of elections.

Published

12 hours ago

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February 26, 2026

By

Hemanta Sharma

More than 5,000 members of tribal communities formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a large-scale event held in Assam’s Goalpara district on February 25, weeks before key elections.

The joining programme was organised by the BJP ST Morcha, Assam Pradesh, at the Agia School playground. The event was conducted under the leadership of Riya Sangma, State Secretary of BJP ST Morcha and in-charge of the Goalpara ST Morcha.

Party leaders said the programme witnessed strong participation, particularly from the Garo community, describing it as a significant political development in the district.

The chief guest at the event was Samir Oran, National President of BJP ST Morcha and outgoing Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). Among those present were Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MP from the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency, Ravindra Raju, Horen Singh Bey, who serves as State President of BJP ST Morcha, and other party leaders.

Goalpara district has traditionally seen strong influence from opposition parties, especially the Congress. Tribal voters in the region have largely remained divided, making the large-scale induction ahead of elections politically significant.

Addressing the media, Samir Oran said the BJP has brought a new phase of recognition and opportunity for tribal communities across the Northeast. He stated that the joining programme reflected growing trust among tribal populations in the party.

Riya Sangma said many tribal communities, particularly members of the Garo community, had earlier felt deprived of adequate respect and development benefits. She added that the participation of over 5,000 people demonstrated confidence in the BJP’s leadership.

Dipankar Nath, BJP Goalpara District President, termed the development a “game-changer” for the constituency. He said the party remains committed to the welfare, development and dignity of tribal communities.

Party leaders expressed confidence that the induction drive would strengthen the BJP’s organisational base in Goalpara and nearby areas ahead of the upcoming polls.

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PM Modi crosses 100 million followers on Instagram, first world leader to achieve milestone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has crossed 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first world leader to achieve the milestone and widening the gap with global counterparts.

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12 hours ago

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February 26, 2026

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pm modi followers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first world leader and politician to cross 100 million followers on Instagram, marking a significant moment in global political communication.

Having joined the platform in 2014, the Prime Minister has steadily built one of the most followed political profiles worldwide. Over the past decade, his Instagram account has featured updates on official engagements, international visits, public outreach programmes, cultural highlights and personal moments, helping him connect with a broad and diverse audience.

With 100 million followers, PM Modi now ranks first among world leaders on Instagram. His follower count is more than double that of US President Donald Trump, who stands at 43.2 million followers.

Other prominent leaders remain considerably behind in comparison. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has around 15 million followers, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has 14.4 million, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 11.6 million, and Argentine President Javier Milei has 6.4 million followers.

Notably, the combined follower count of the next five major global leaders remains lower than PM Modi’s individual tally, highlighting the scale of his digital outreach. Observers note that his presence on Instagram resonates strongly with younger users in India and abroad, reflecting the growing importance of visual and interactive platforms in political engagement.

Wide gap within India’s political space

The Prime Minister also maintains a substantial lead over other Indian political figures on Instagram. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has around 16.1 million followers, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approximately 12.6 million followers.

The gap underlines PM Modi’s dominant position on social media among domestic political leaders.

The milestone reflects a broader global trend of political leaders increasingly using platforms like Instagram to communicate directly with citizens, share governance updates, and expand public engagement beyond traditional media channels.

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MK Stalin predicts frequent PM Modi visits to Tamil Nadu before assembly election

MK Stalin has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tamil Nadu more often ahead of the Assembly election, calling the tours politically motivated and questioning the Centre’s support to the state.

Published

1 day ago

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February 25, 2026

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MK Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will increase his visits to the state as the Assembly election, expected in April or May, draws closer.

Speaking ahead of the polls, the DMK president said the Prime Minister has already begun touring Tamil Nadu and is likely to visit frequently in the coming months. He claimed that such visits could create discomfort within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as alliance partners may fear the political impact of repeated appearances.

Stalin calls visit politically motivated

The Chief Minister described the Prime Minister’s scheduled programmes in the state as “politically motivated”. PM Modi is set to attend various events in Madurai in southern Tamil Nadu, including the inauguration of the first phase of the AIIMS hospital project. He is also expected to visit the Thiruparankundram Temple amid the Karthigai Deepam-related controversy and participate in a public meeting organised by the NDA.

Stalin said he has been working for all sections of the population, including those who did not vote for his party. In contrast, he remarked that some leaders are visible in the state only during election time and increase their visits as polls approach.

Criticism over Union Budget allocations

The DMK leader also criticised the BJP-led central government, accusing it of neglecting Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that while approval was recently granted for the Gujarat Metro project, there were no major announcements or allocations for Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget.

Stalin asserted that voters would remember the lack of significant measures for the state. He framed the upcoming election as a contest between Tamil Nadu and the NDA, stating that the state should be governed from Fort St George in Chennai rather than from Delhi.

The ruling DMK is currently allied with several smaller parties and, at present, the Congress, as it seeks a third consecutive term in office. Its principal rival, the AIADMK, is aligned with the BJP as part of the NDA.

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