Asserting that achieving self-sufficiency in edible oils is a critical national priority for India, the NITI Aayog, in a report, has said that utilising one-third of the total rice fallow area (in the rabi season) across ten States for oilseed cultivation can increase the production of edible oils by 1.03 Million Tonnes (MT) and reduce India’s import reliance by 7.1%.

The report – ‘Pathways and Strategies for Accelerating Growth in Edible Oils Towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta’ – has also recommended increasing palm cultivation in the country for extracting palm oil to meet the cooking oil deficit.

The report also sought to increase the awareness among consumers so that they use the recommended quantity of edible oils. For this, it said that it is crucial to hold culinary workshops targeting chefs, homemakers, and influencers leveraging cooking shows to highlight versatility, and have public education emphasising the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of fats and oils, as established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).

“These initiatives support Sustainable Development Goals (Good Health and Well-Being), along with importance of understanding the financial implications of health expenditures which aim to reduce catastrophic health spending and ensure affordable access to health needs, including nutrition,” the report said.

The report said utilising just one-third of the total rice fallow area across ten States for oilseed cultivation has the potential to significantly enhance domestic production.

“Estimates suggest a potential increase of up to 3.12 MT in oilseed output. This statistic underscores the immense potential of these currently fallow lands. By implementing efficient management practices, these areas can be transformed into significant contributors to India’s overall agricultural output and play a crucial role in the nation’s journey towards edible oil self-sufficiency,” the report said, pointing out the the example of cultivation of linseed, sesame and mustard in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh that could increase the edible oil production to 0.85 MT.

“Similarly, Bihar and Jharkhand hold the potential to reach 0.62 MT by introducing linseed, sunflower, safflower, and mustard. West Bengal and Odisha also present promising opportunities. With groundnut, linseed, sesame, sunflower, safflower, and mustard cultivation, West Bengal’s production could rise to 0.68 MT, while Odisha’s output could reach 0.32 MT,” the report said.

The report has also recommended prioritising a strategic approach to horizontal expansion of oil palm cultivation in underutilised wastelands. “This strategy can be fostered through inclusive partnerships involving FPOs, FPCs, SHGs, etc., engaged in long-term contracts,” it added.

The per capita consumption of edible oil in the country has seen a dramatic rise, reaching 19.7 kilogram per year, the report said. “This surge in demand has significantly outpaced domestic production, leading to a heavy reliance on imports to meet both domestic and industrial needs. In 2022-23, India imported 16.5 MT of edible oils, with domestic production fulfilling only 40-45% of the country’s requirements. This situation presents a substantial challenge to the country’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in edible oils,” the report added.

New Delhi:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged “political discrimination” at a key NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi held to allow states to present their concerns to the Prime Minister. Ms Banerjee was the only Chief Minister from a non-BJP ruled state who attended the meeting, as all other INDIA bloc leaders boycotted the event.

After storming out of the meeting, the Trinamool chief claimed that her mic was muted and she was allowed to speak for only 5 minutes.

“I said you (Centre) shouldn’t discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak, but my mic was muted. I was allowed to speak only for 5 minutes, while people before me spoke for 10-20 minutes,” Ms Banerjee told reporters.

“I was the only one from the opposition who was participating but still, I was not allowed to speak. This is insulting,” she added.

Despite INDIA bloc Chief Ministers boycotting the meeting, Mamata Banerjee had said that she wanted to raise ‘political discrimination’ meted out to Bengal in the Union Budget.

The Centre though, refuted Ms Banerjee’s claims and said that her mic wasn’t muted.

“It is being claimed that the microphone of CM, West Bengal was switched off during the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog. This claim is Misleading. The clock only showed that her speaking time was over. Even the bell was not rung to mark it,” the Press Information Bureau said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

It is being claimed that the microphone of CM, West Bengal was switched off during the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog#PIBFactCheck

This claim is #Misleading

The clock only showed that her speaking time was over. Even the bell was not rung to mark it pic.twitter.com/P4N3oSOhBk

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) July 27, 2024

Other Opposition leaders refused to attend citing the ‘raw deal’ meted out to them in the Union Budget. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin initiated the boycott, followed by Congress-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah, and Telangana’s Revanth Reddy. The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and the Jharkhand and Kerala chief ministers, Hemant Soren and Pinarayi Vijayan respectively, have also decided to skip the event.

New Delhi:

Several Chief Ministers have gathered in New Delhi to attend a key NITI Aayog meeting. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and all states will get the opportunity to present their concerns and pressing issues.

“The meeting under PM Modi’s leadership will address various state-specific concerns. Goa is actively participating and has also announced 10 percent reservations under the Agniveer scheme for uniformed services,” Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said about the meeting.

The central theme for the meeting is “Viksit Bharat@2047,” focusing on envisioning India as a developed nation by the year 2047. The agenda includes discussing the approach paper for this vision document, with PM Modi presiding over the discussions.

While Chief Ministers from all BJP-ruled states will be present today, Opposition leaders have refused to attend citing the ‘raw deal’ meted out to them in the Union Budget. Among all states ruled by INDIA bloc parties, only West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be attending the meeting.

Mamata Banerjee said she would be protesting against the political discrimination meted out to Bengal at the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi on Saturday, July 27.

Ms Banerjee said she plans to protest against “political discrimination meted out to Bengal” during the meeting.

“They say the Budget shows cooperative federalism, but it is biased politicisation. The Budget is total deprivation of states. You can give some special package to your friends but you can’t deprive opposition states completely,” she asserted, adding that states have to be empowered.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin initiated the boycott, followed by Congress-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah, and Telangana’s Revanth Reddy. The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and the Jharkhand and Kerala chief ministers, Hemant Soren and Pinarayi Vijayan respectively, have also decided to skip the event.

New Delhi:

Deviating from the stand taken by her counterparts belonging to other parties in the INDIA alliance, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said she will attend the Niti Aayog general council meeting on Saturday because it is in the interest of her state, adding that she will raise the issues of all opposition-ruled states.

The Niti Aayog general council meeting is one of the few forums where state chief ministers get to meet not just the Prime Minister, who presides over the gathering, but also Union ministers.

The Trinamool Congress chief arrived in Delhi on Friday amid speculation about her cancelling her visit and skipping the Niti Aayog meeting in line with chief ministers of Congress-ruled states and others like Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann, Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan and Tamil Nadu’s MK Stalin. 

Stating that she had cancelled, but reconsidered on the advice of senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, who is also her nephew, the Bengal chief minister said the Union Budget had been brazenly politicised. 

“They say the Budget shows cooperative federalism, but it is biased politicisation. The Budget is total deprivation of states. You can give some special package to your friends but you can’t deprive opposition states completely,” she asserted, adding that states have to be empowered.

“Centre should only have external affairs, defence and internal security. Finance (is something) they have destroyed,” she claimed. 

‘Scrap Niti Aayog’

Ms Banerjee said that, during the meeting, she would raise the issue of West Bengal “not getting anything” in the Budget as well as the Rs 1.71 lakh crore her government claims the Centre owes the state. She also said it was time the Niti Aayog was scrapped and the Planning Commission was brought back.

“It (Niti Aayog) has no financial implications… The Planning Commission had worked well for India since Independence. It was mooted by Subhash Chandra Bose,” she said. 

On being asked if she was part of the opposition INDIA bloc, she said she was at the national level but the alliance was not needed in the state. “Trinamool Congress is enough to fight the BJP in West Bengal. Nationally, we are with INDIA,” she said.

In the Lok Sabha elections, she said the Congress had gained in states where regional parties are strong and credit should be given to both. She also predicted that, in the upcoming Assembly elections, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, which is an INDIA ally, will win in Maharashtra, Congress will emerge victorious in Haryana and Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha would remain the Jharkhand chief minister. 

On Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in prison in the liquor policy case, she said she was very concerned about him and others “targeted” by the BJP-ruled government at the Centre. “Only agencies and conspiracies cannot give you political results,” she said.

Ms Banerjee also met Mr Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, on Friday evening. 

Jalandhar:

After being denied special status by the Centre, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government has decided that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not attend the NITI Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.

Mr Mann addressed a press conference on Wednesday where he listed the reasons behind boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting and said that Punjab has been denied special status and that’s why they are boycotting the meeting.

“Punjab should be given special status but it has been denied its rights. Our Rural Development Fund is being stopped. Tableau of Punjab is not being displayed on Republic Day. Our share of GST is not being given to us. In whole of the budget, there is no mention of Punjab. So why would we go there,” said Bhagwant Mann.

“We contribute 47 per cent to the food bowl and the ration provided to 80 crore people of India comes from Punjab. 30 per cent police are deployed towards national borders and working for national security still no budget is allocated. Prime Minister put the future of youth at stake just save his own future,” said Bhagwant Mann.

Notably, Mr Mann arrived in Jalandhar on Wednesday to meet people of Majha and Doaba regions for two days and address their issues as part of ‘Doabe Ch Sarkar Tuhaade Dwaar’ scheme.

Along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan are also expected to give the meeting a miss. However, as per reports, Mamata Banerjee and TMC’s Derek O’Brien will attend the meeting and “strongly use the platform to hold the Union government responsible” for Bengal’s legitimate dues.

Addressing the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that his government would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27 in protest against the central government’s alleged injustice to the state in the allocation of funds in the Union Budget.

“As a mark of protest against the Central Government, we, the Telangana Government, are boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting to be held on July 27th. The Centre has violated the rights of Telangana. There is injustice to the state in the allocation of funds,” Mr Reddy said in the Assembly.

The Telangana chief minister also lashed out at the previous BRS government in the state and asked if former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao would address a Deeksha protest along with him for the benefit of the Telangana state at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

This came in as a response to a challenge made by BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and Harish Rao during a heated discussion in the Assembly about discrimination against Telangana in the Union Budget.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said his government had decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27, as a mark of protest against the “neglect” of the state’s demands in the Union Budget.

He said there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting, as Kannadigas are not heard.

“Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party MPs meeting in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka’s essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our state’s demands,” Siddaramaiah said.

“Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don’t feel that Kannadigas are heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting,” he posted on social media platform X.

“We have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27 July, as a mark of protest,” he added.

Stating that even the farmers’ demands to approve Mekedatu and Mahadayi projects have been ignored, the Chief Minister said, “There was no attempt to rectify their sin of reducing funds to our state under various categories.” Funds for metro and other infra projects are still a distant dream, he added.

He said that PM Modi is unable to see states other than Andhra Pradesh and Bihar because “his eyes are on the position of Prime Minister”.

“His agenda is exposed in front of the people. We hope the people of our state stand with us in our fight for justice,” the Chief Minister said.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah termed the union budget “disappointing” and said, “As Nirmala Sitharaman is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, we had expected her to do justice to the state and hoped that she would protect the interests of the state, but she hsd disappointed and done injustice to the people of Karnataka, he had said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India’s atomic energy got a positive nudge today with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying, “Nuclear energy is expected to form a very significant part of the energy mix for Viksit Bharat.” India is now set to develop small reactors and conduct research to develop small modular reactors. In another big announcement, the private sector has been allowed to partner in setting up nuclear plants for the first time.

The NITI Aayog has been urging the government to look at small reactors more seriously. “Private sector being permitted is a big new opening,” says VK Saraswat, Member of Science and Technology at NITI Aayog. “I am very happy to see the government has accepted the further development of small reactors since atomic energy has a very low carbon footprint and offers assured base power supply,” he adds.

Bhuvan Chandra Pathak, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), Mumbai also warmed up to the move. “It is a very welcome move that the private sector will be permitted to partner in the development of atomic energy,” he said.

With climate change as a looming danger, atomic energy, which offers electricity with almost zero carbon dioxide emission, is increasingly being viewed as a viable alternative even though the capital cost of installing it still remains high.

In her budget speech today, Ms Sitharaman said, “Our government will partner with the private sector for setting up Bharat Small Reactors (BSR), research and development of Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR), and research and development of newer technologies for nuclear energy. The R&D funding announced in the interim budget will be made available for this sector.”

As of today, the Indian Atomic Energy Act 1962 does not permit the private sector to participate in nuclear energy generation, however, Dr Saraswat says that with today’s big announcement, new possibilities have opened and soon “an enabling policy and legal environment can be created to make sure the private sector can also contribute in generating atomic energy”.

Mr Saraswat says the Bharat Small Reactor is the tried and tested 220 Megawatt Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), of which 16 units are already functioning. The big development today is that now the private sector will be allowed to partner in this.

Till now, only the government’s public sector undertakings such as National Thermal Power Corporation were permitted to partner with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited to set up atomic plants. Even in this setting, the share-holding of NPCIL was to be 51%. With the private sector being permitted to partner, a whole new avenue of financing these capital-intensive power plants is going to open up.

India already has an installed capacity of 6780 Megawatts of nuclear power, according to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. Presently, India has 22 operating reactors, out of which, 18 are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and four are Light Water Reactors (LWRs).

If the budget proposals are accepted then India will also develop small modular reactors by collaborating with the private sector. Small modular reactor is an entirely new concept of manufacturing atomic power plants where they are factory made and can be assembled on location and offer an ideal solution as captive power units for large industries such as cement and steel industries. Research on developing small modular reactors is going on across the world but the only functional units exist in Russia.

Experts at NPCIL say the BSMR can be assembled in less than four years and the rough per megawatt cost could be comparable to the BSR, which is about Rs 16 crores per megawatt. In the initial stage, the new private sector small reactors may run on ‘Government Owned but Company Operated’ (GOCO) mode with investments coming from the private sector and the fuel being owned by the Department of Atomic Energy and the spent fuel also reverting to the government.

The design of the BSMR is still ongoing at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), Mumbai with the expectation that it could also run on natural uranium. Many countries such as Russia, USA, South Korea, and France are ready to offer their small modular reactors to India, says Dr Saraswat. “Out of the 98 identified SMR models worldwide, 56 are under active development at present,” he said.

Suman Bery, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman.
| Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran

India is proving to be a source of solutions in multiple areas, including public service delivery and digitalisation, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairperson Suman Bery said.

Mr. Bery also said that by putting the SDGs at the heart of its G20 presidency, India has acknowledged that these are an almost sacred commitment by the global community to its less advantaged people.

“India is proving to be a source of solutions in multiple areas, be it public service delivery, be it digitalisation, even for multinational corporations, the so-called global capability centres,” Mr. Bery told PTI in an exclusive interview in United Nations.

“Both in their design and I would argue, based on the Indian experience on their implementation, I really see the SDGs as a commitment by governments to their own people. In the 21st century, this is a kind of commitment to a decent life.” Responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047, Mr. Bery underscored that the Indian leader has highlighted how much can be achieved with a single-minded focus in a period of 25 years.

He said that one thing that is clear is that this is ‘Amrit Kaal’ because this is when India will have the peak conditions for its working labour force. “And to do what we can to make the most of that opportunity through skilling, training, better job matching, rising productivity,” he said.

India’s commitment to sustainable development

Mr. Bery was in New York to represent India at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) that took place at the U.N. headquarters from July 8 to July 17 under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council.

The theme of the forum was ‘Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions’.

Mr. Bery delivered India’s National Statement at the forum’s general debate, emphasizing India’s commitment to sustainable development and inclusive growth.

He also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum, discussing ways to enhance cooperation in sustainable development, strengthening partnerships for economic cooperation, international development initiatives and efforts to address environmental challenges.

He also addressed an HLPF side event organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and NITI Aayog titled ‘Leaving No One Behind: India’s Experience in Accelerating SDGs’ that showcased India’s efforts on SDG localization to ensure delivery at the last mile in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.

Mr. Bery also addressed a gathering of eminent members of the Indian-American community and diaspora, investors and industry leaders at a special event titled ‘Developed India @ 2047’ organised by the Consulate General of India in New York in collaboration with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. At the event, he spoke about India’s growth across various sectors and its impact on the world economy, as well as the India-US partnership.

The HLPF reviewed in-depth Sustainable Goal 1 of ending poverty in all its forms everywhere; Goal 2 of ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Goal 13 of taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; Goal 16 of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and Goal 17 of strengthening the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

New Delhi:

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Tuesday reconstituted the NITI Aayog, with four full-time members and 15 union ministers, including from BJP allies, as either ex-officio members or special invitees.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the chairperson and economist Suman K Bery will continue to be the vice-chairperson of NITI Aayog, according to an official notification.

Scientist V K Saraswat, agricultural economist Ramesh Chand, paediatrician V K Paul and macro-economist Arvind Virmani will also continue to be full-time members of the government think-tank.

The four ex-officio members will be Union Ministers Rajnath Singh (Defence), Amit Shah (Home), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture) and Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance).

The prime minister has approved the revised composition of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the notification said.

The special invitees in the reconstituted NITI Aayog will be Union ministers Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways), Jagat Prakash Nadda (Health), H D Kumaraswamy (Heavy Industries and Steel), Jitan Ram Manjhi (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying).

Other special invitees are Union Ministers Virendra Kumar (Social Justice and Empowerment), Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Civil Aviation), Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs), Annpurna Devi (Women and Child Development), Chirag Paswan (Food Processing Industries) and Rao Inderjit Singh (Statistics and Programme Implementation).

Kumaraswamy belongs to NDA partner JD-S, Manjhi is from Hindustani Awam Morcha, Rajiv Ranjan Singh is from JD-U, Naidu belongs to TDP and Paswan is from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

National Institution for Transforming India, better known as ‘NITI Aayog’, was constituted in 2015 when the Modi government chose to scrap the 65-year-old Planning Commission.

“Embracing a vision for holistic development and innovation, NITI Aayog is on a journey of transformative initiatives that promise to redefine India’s future,” the Aayog said in a Facebook post.

The government has reconstituted the NITI Aayog following changes in the council of ministers. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The NITI GearShift Challenge invites students, transport service practitioners, academics, and researchers to develop innovative business models that address financial, technical, and operational challenges in the adoption of electric trucks.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with IIM Bangalore, Smart Freight Centre India, CALSTART/Drive to Zero, and WRI India, announced the launch of the NITI GearShift Challenge as part of the e-FAST India initiative.

This pioneering hackathon aims to foster innovative business models for the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in India, addressing the nation’s pressing economic and environmental challenges.

The NITI GearShift Challenge invites students, transport service practitioners, academics, and researchers to develop innovative business models that address financial, technical, and operational challenges in the adoption of electric trucks.

The program has garnered participation from e-FAST India knowledge partners, financial institutions, and industry forums.

The hackathon will unfold in two rounds. In Round 1, teams will submit their initial business models addressing a specific barrier–technical, operational, or financial — supported by high-level strategies and research.

Shortlisted teams in Round 2 will present detailed business models with an implementation roadmap, backed by both primary and secondary research. These proposals will be mentored by industry leaders to ensure practical and impactful solutions.

India’s freight sector is vital to the economy, ensuring the smooth delivery of goods to over 1.4 billion people.

With road freight accounting for a staggering 55 per cent of India’s annual diesel consumption and nearly 40 per cent of CO2 emissions from road transport, there is an urgent need to transition to more sustainable solutions.

The electrification of freight transportation is a key priority, as electric trucks offer a transformative opportunity to reduce emissions, improve air quality, and enhance energy security.

The GearShift Challenge marks a pivotal move towards sustainable freight transportation in India. By tapping into the creativity and expertise of participants, the hackathon aims to generate practical solutions that will accelerate the adoption of zero-emission trucks, thereby benefiting both the economy and the environment.