In light of the supply chain interruptions caused by the Iran war, a meeting was held on Friday among top government officials, including the Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, the Power Secretary, and the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), to explore ways to increase the domestic production of induction heaters and cooking utensils in order to reduce the usage of cooking gas consumption, according to official sources.

Since the start of the West Asia crisis, there has been a surge in demand for induction heaters and other electrical items. India needs to be ready for any problems that may arise if the war lasts for more than a few months, a top official said.

The meeting to assess the situation occurs as officials get ready for a prolonged struggle and evaluate the effects of the disruptions to the importation of oil, gas, and petrochemical products. To address supply issues and alleviate cost pressures, the government has already cut import tariffs on a number of petrochemical items.

The government’s priority, according to sources, is to guarantee the availability of essential items and lessen reliance on imports in the face of the worldwide uncertainties brought about by the Middle East war.

The near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s energy supply passes, has hampered oil imports from the Middle East. This has been compounded by damage to vital energy infrastructure, such as a significant liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar, which has heightened the uncertainty surrounding these imports.

In order to make up for the gap in imports, India has diversified its oil imports and is now purchasing more crude from Russia and African nations like Nigeria and Angola. In addition to the United States, Indian oil businesses are also getting gas from other sources.

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said in a national address that the US military will strike Iran very hard for the following two or three weeks, adding to the ambiguity around the situation in the Middle East. According to him, the US would restore them to their rightful place in the Stone Age.

“There was no oil or gas being pumped in the Middle East back then,” Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, said hours later on X.

The threat has been reiterated by Trump as the conflict has entered its second month and the deployment of US troops in the area has persisted. Iran has also turned down reports of ceasefire talks and a 15-point peace plan, describing it as “exceedingly maximalist and unreasonable. “

The Punjab Kings defeated the Chennai Super Kings by five wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, thanks to skipper Shreyas Iyer’s fifty and Priyansh Arya’s opening blitz of 39 runs off 11 balls, giving them their second victory in the current Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

With a strong beginning that set the tone for the Punjab Kings’ pursuit of 210 against the Chennai Super Kings, Priyansh Arya kicked off the chase. Arya, who was brought in as a replacement, made his goals plain.

From the start, he went after Khaleel Ahmed. His entrance was distinguished by a forceful six over midwicket and a sharp, direct four. Although Khaleel was able to make some progress against Prabhsimran Singh, he nonetheless allowed 14 runs in the opening over.

Arya assaulted Matt Henry in the second over, scoring 4, 6, and 4 to get 25 runs in only six deliveries. There was no respite. Arya had already accumulated 27 runs off eight balls, easily locating the boundary, when PBKS reached their fifty in an amazing 3. 2 overs. This was a daring and contemporary approach to T20.

He went all out in the power play to take control of the chase after seeing a target of more than 200. Even if his 39 off 11 at a strike rate of 355 wasn’t enough to win the game on its own, it did show what it means to be an aggressive opener in modern cricket: deal as much damage as possible early on and set a foundation.

Prabhsimran maintained the momentum on the other end, but CSK attempted to seize control by introducing Noor Ahmad as an impact bowler and Rahul Chahar as a spin bowler. But PBKS continued to press, with Cooper Connolly displaying intent against spin.

But at a crucial moment, when Shreyas Iyer strode confidently to the crease with a chance to score, a pricey error on a low-risk second call cost PBKS their momentum. Sarfaraz Khan made a superb backup play and tossed a precise throw to the non-striker’s end to get Prabhsimran (43) out after Connolly brought him back, while Noor Ahmad raced from midwicket to intercept the ball.

From a full toss that he was unable to fully get beyond mid-off, Conolly holed out. He will regret that lost opportunity throughout the lengthy journey home. Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera are still at the crease for PBKS, who need 83 runs off 49 balls to stabilize the chase.

In contrast, CSK’s spin options are few. They are ahead of Rahul Chahar by two and Noor Ahmad by one. Following that, it will be the pacers’ responsibility to complete the task since they have been giving up runs throughout the night.

Chennai Super Kings scored 209/5 thanks to late cameos from Sarfaraz Khan (32 off 12) and Shivam Dube (45 off 27), who were accompanied by Ayush Mhatre’s outstanding 73 off 43.

Sanju Samson (7) once again succumbed early in CSK’s innings, highlighting his difficulties with movement. In the face of the early setbacks, Mhatre took command, demonstrating excellent intent and readiness, particularly against short pitches.

After perfecting his pull shot, he went on to defeat the pacers, hitting five sixes and four fours to reach 59 off 32 balls in nine overs.

Despite Mhatre’s dominance, Ruturaj Gaikwad (28 off 22) had trouble getting things moving, and he fell at a moment when CSK needed it most. Despite the Power-play, Mhatre persisted in setting the agenda by deftly using clever positioning and rapid modifications to combat the wide yorker plan.

His termination turned out to be a pivotal moment. Mhatre had scored 73 of those runs—almost 60%—at 123, demonstrating CSK’s excessive reliance on him, as the remainder of the batting lineup only managed to score 38 runs off 32 balls, with 12 extras.

Then, with an imaginative cameo using ramps and skillful touches to combat pace and yorkers, Sarfaraz injected late momentum, hitting at 266. Despite his early challenges, Dube persevered and maintained a calm, unbroken 45 to anchor the death overs.

With 209/5, CSK also recorded their first 200-plus score at Chepauk since April 2024, indicating a comeback to their prolific run-scoring peak.

Shreyas Iyer maintained perfect composure during his innings, seamlessly switching between 4 off 5 and 50 off 26. As the captain of the PBKS, he maintained control of the situation by selecting his pitches with care and ensuring that the chase remained on track. But Iyer was playing exceptionally well, and everything appeared to be going in PBKS’ direction.

However, CSK responded by taking Iyer out and having Nehal Wadhera shift the momentum back in their favor with two wickets off successive deliveries.

But as PBKS ended the game, winning by five wickets, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis made sure there were no further hiccups.

Brief scores:
Chennai Super Kings 209/5 in 20 overs (Ayush Mhatre 73, Shivam Dube 45 not out; Vyshak Vijaykumar 2-38, Yuzvendra Chahal 1-21)
Punjab Kings 210/5 in 18.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 50, Prabhsimran Singh 43, Priyansh Arya 39; Matt Henry 2-54, Anshul Kamboj 2-47)

In response to the rumored large layoffs by Oracle Corporation, CPI-MLL lawmaker Raja Ram Singh said on Thursday that “workers cannot be treated as expendable” and that the government should act right away to safeguard workers’ rights and promote accountability in the IT industry.

Singh, who represents Bihar’s Karakat constituency in the Lok Sabha, sent a letter to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to express his deep worry and anger over claims that the multinational technology company has fired about 12,000 people in the nation.

In addition to questioning corporate responsibility and the government’s reaction to these changes, he called the step a significant danger to job security.

The lawmaker made the case that India’s policy environment, which includes tax breaks, public infrastructure, and a friendly commercial climate, greatly benefits firms like Oracle.

He stressed that these benefits are provided in the hopes that businesses will help create jobs and promote economic stability.

He said that firing thousands of workers with little to no warning goes against the fundamental ideals of human dignity and job security.

Who will be responsible for their lives and the welfare of the thousands of families left behind after they are fired without notice? Singh inquired.

He also stated that this implied social compact is undermined by the massive layoffs, particularly when there is little or no notice, and that the basis of secure and respectable employment is weakened as a result.

Singh requested that the ministry question Oracle about the extent and manner of the layoffs in its correspondence.

He asked that the appropriate actions be taken to avoid arbitrary mass layoffs and that any breaches of labor legislation be held accountable.

It is impossible to undermine the respect of work. Singh emphasized that the government must take a hard line to prevent Indian workers from being seen as expendable.

According to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, India is in a “sweet spot” with the trade deal and has the “best” agreement with the United States among its rivals.

Speaking to the media at the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which was recently held in Cameroon, the minister said that India should receive preferential market access under the bilateral trade agreement signed with the United States.

A tariff exemption on certain product lines is considered preferential market access.

The interim trade pact with the US, which significantly reduced the tariffs imposed on India from 50% to 18%, was finalized on February 2.

The tariffs were later deemed unlawful by the nine-member US panel on February 20. The Donald Trump administration then imposed a 10 percent tariff on all trading partners right away.

India and the US continue to engage in discussions for a bilateral trade agreement that will benefit both countries, despite geo-political turbulence. Both parties are putting forth a concerted effort to reach a trade deal that would boost economic collaboration and business opportunities in both countries.

Additionally, India and the United States are strengthening diplomatic and economic ties in a number of industries, such trade, defense, and supply chain collaboration.

At the WTO’s “MC14” meeting, India reaffirmed the necessity for a lasting solution on public stockholding and a Special Safeguard Mechanism in agriculture, according to Goyal.

“The Modi Government continues to be dedicated to safeguarding the interests of our farmers and maintaining food security. “India represents what is correct,” the minister stated.

In a message on X, Goyal stated, “We opposed plurilaterals like the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement and did not consent to their inclusion into the WTO framework without adequate safeguards and consensus at WTO MC14. ”

Goyal stressed India’s active participation in the heated discussions on WTO reforms at the WTO summit, protecting the interests of our people, particularly our farmers and fishermen.

Additionally, he highlighted how India reaffirmed its unwavering dedication to fostering a fair, transparent, and rules-based multilateral trading system.

At the ‘MC14‘ WTO conference, it was emphasized that India has been employing sustainable fishing methods for millennia, according to Goyal.

At the briefing, the minister stated, “India demands fair, development-oriented outcomes that greatly benefit our fishing community. “

India’s domestic market for automotive metal forming is expected to almost double to $90–95 billion by FY30, with an annual growth rate of about 12%, as global supply chain realignments shift value concentration toward process-led manufacturers.

India’s auto component industry, which includes casting, forging, stamping, and machining, surpassed $80 billion in size in FY25 and became a net exporter during the year, with exports totaling about $23 billion, according to an analysis by Avendus Capital.

The shift, it claimed, represents not just a rise in scale but also a structural improvement in the complexity of production, quality standards, and integration with the global economy.

Additionally, the study emphasized the ongoing shift in global automotive supply chains, where original equipment manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers are diversifying their sourcing bases in the face of geopolitical uncertainty and cost constraints.

Cost competitiveness, engineering skills, and a well-established supplier ecosystem are helping India establish itself as a popular manufacturing location.

With ever-increasing demands for accuracy, weight reduction, and complexity, the paper also highlighted that key metal-forming techniques are still necessary for both internal combustion engine and electric vehicle platforms.

It also highlighted India’s possible advantage in ICE components as global suppliers shift funds toward electrification and reduce investment in ICE-related production, resulting in a supply deficit in drivetrain components like crankshafts, gears, and axles.

The aftermarket prospect offers additional upside because there are more than 1. 5 billion ICE vehicles in the world’s car parc.

According to Koushik Bhattacharyya, Managing Director and Head of Industrials Investment Banking at Avendus Capital, the Indian auto component industry is shifting from a growth phase driven by scale to one that is focused on capability consolidation. India is in a great position to seize this chance, especially in essential metal-forming sectors, as worldwide supply chains change.

From a deal activity perspective, the industry is experiencing increasing interest from international private equity companies and strategic purchasers, with investors favoring companies that have strong process experience, an export orientation, and scalable manufacturing platforms.

For India to be ready and able to handle any eventuality in the midst of the changing West Asian crisis, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that it needs round-the-clock monitoring and a calibrated response.

Rajnath Singh presided over the second meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM), which was established to keep an eye on the changing situation in West Asia and make recommendations for preventative actions to lessen its effects on India.

The meeting discussed the most recent events in great detail, as well as the measures the government should take to lessen any negative effects brought about by the current conflict.

Given the “uncertain situation,” the Defense Minister emphasized the necessity of continuous monitoring and the need to react with discretion in order to handle any potential scenario.

To make sure that the conflict has the least possible impact on the populace, he emphasized the necessity of exploring every avenue.

The actions being taken to address the situation were discussed with the IGoM by the seven Empowered Groups of Secretaries.

The Ministry of Finance informed it of steps taken to allay worries brought about by disruptions to world trade, assist and support the industry—particularly manufacturing—and boost investor confidence.

These include a complete exemption from customs duties on 40 essential petrochemical products until June 30, 2026; the declaration of a unique, one-time relief measure for qualifying units in SEZs to sell manufactured items in the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) at reduced customs duty rates from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027; and the prohibition of using the provisions of GAAR in relation to investments made before April 1, 2017.

According to an official statement, these measures will lower cost pressures on downstream industries like textiles, packaging, and pharmaceuticals, promote supply stability in the nation, and give investors considering investments in India the necessary clarity.

With effect from April 1, Rajnath Singh applauded the Government’s move to limit the monthly rise in Aviation Turbine Fuel prices for domestic activities to 25%. This measure will shield the public from unanticipated fare hikes.

With increased refinery output to meet all consumption needs, the government has placed the greatest emphasis on the supply of household LPG. The IGoM was informed that there have been no reports of dry-out at LPG distributorships, and the delivery of LPG cylinders for household use is still proceeding according to plan.

Due to incidents of hoarding and black marketing, there was a momentary worry over the supply, which caused some locations to experience panic purchasing.

Since March 23, 2026, the Government has sold more than 4. 3 lakh 5 kg Free Trade LPG cylinders as part of its efforts to help low-consumption families and migrant labor. Particular attention is being paid to States where demand is greater.

The IGoM was informed that industrial needs reliant on commercial LPG are being met, with more than 80% of pre-crisis supply levels being maintained to ensure operational continuity.

In order to comprehend and satisfy the demands of various businesses, special meetings have been conducted with stakeholders and ministries. Auto LPG supply throughout the nation is being guaranteed by oil PSUs.

To meet the increase in demand brought on by panic buying and guarantee that consumers do not experience a shortage, the Ministers were told that the daily number of LPG deliveries has significantly increased.

Wherever feasible, Piped Natural Gas (PNG) is being aggressively promoted as a dependable alternative for industrial applications. In sectors where PNG is already in use for industrial applications, the supply is being guaranteed, ensuring operational continuity.

Sunrisers Hyderabad had a dominant bowling effort, led by left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat’s outstanding figures of 3-21, to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs and win their first game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

Unadkat’s spell was the high point of the innings, as it followed SRH’s competition-best total of 226/8. As KKR were bowled out for 161 in 16 overs, he was ably supported by Eshan Malinga, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harsh Dubey, who kept constant pressure on them throughout.

The win was notable because it gave SRH their first two points of the season, and it was the first time that a total had been successfully defended in the competition this year.

Aside from Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 52, KKR struggled to counter the disciplined SRH attack, with the pacers making effective use of slower balls. Consequently, they didn’t pose a genuine threat of pursuing the uphill target.

Finn Allen’s 28 runs off only seven balls, which included four boundaries and two sixes in the 25-run opening over bowled by David Payne, marked the start of KKR’s pursuit with a bang. Dubey, however, dealt a decisive blow by dismissing Allen via a well-taken caught and bowled opportunity.

Raghuvanshi’s stroke play was outstanding, and Ajinkya Rahane maintained the pace with a 37-run partnership for the second wicket.

However, SRH responded quickly, with Unadkat dismissing Rahane with a slower delivery that he struck to mid-wicket, and Cameron Green was run out on the final ball of the sixth over, leaving KKR at 74/3.

Raghuvanshi kept on attacking and scored his second fifty in a row off 27 balls before being run out for 52 in the 11th over. Nitish, who had the correct words, quickly dismissed Anukul Roy and Rinku Singh, thus ruining KKR’s chase.

Malinga brought down Ramandeep Singh and Sunil Narine in back-to-back overs, despite a brief counterattack from Narine, who hit two sixes during his 12-run cameo.

Unadkat then went back to get their first victory of the tournament by taking out Kartik Tyagi and Varun Chakaravarthy, bringing his total to 3-21.

Brief scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad 226/8 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 52, Abhishek Sharma 48; Blessing Muzarabani 4-41, Vaibhav Arora 2-47)
Kolkata Knight Riders 161 in 16 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 52, Rinku Singh 35; Jaydev Unadkat 3-21, Eshan Malinga 2-14)

After a month of continuous assaults, President Donald Trump declared Iran’s military “decimated” and warned that US troops could “bring them back to the Stone Ages” within weeks if no agreement was reached.

In a televised speech on Wednesday (local time), Trump asserted that the United States military had been targeting Iran, the world’s top state sponsor of terror, in Operation Epic Fury for just one month and that it had made significant battlefield gains.

“Iran’s navy is no longer tonight. Their Air Force is in shambles. Their leaders have now perished, and Iran’s missile and drone capabilities have been “dramatically curtailed” and its weapons facilities “blown to pieces,” he said.

He presented the campaign as essential for preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Trump referred to the Iranian government as “the most violent and thuggish regime on Earth” and stated, “I have vowed that I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. ”

“We completely destroyed those nuclear sites,” he stated, mentioning “Operation Midnight Hammer” and alluding to earlier American attacks. He also said that Iran had tried to restart its program elsewhere.

Trump stated that the goals of the US were to destroy Iran’s military capability and its capacity to exert influence outside of its borders. “These core strategic goals are almost complete,” he stated.

If talks fail, he warned of more escalation.

He stated that “over the next two to three weeks, we’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages,” and that the US might attack Iran’s electric infrastructure if no deal is achieved.

Trump said that regime change was not the expressed objective, but he hinted that there had already been a change in leadership. “Our aim was not regime change… However, he continued, “all of their original leaders’ deaths have resulted in regime change. ”

Recent rise in world oil prices was blamed on Iran by the President, who said it was the result of “deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers. ” He advised nations that are reliant on Middle Eastern oil to diversify their energy sources and protect their transportation lines.

He lauded regional allies, such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as “great” partners in the effort.

Trump also emphasized the strength of the US economy, stating that the nation is the world’s largest oil and gas producer and is able to withstand any disruptions caused by the war.

He said that the families of the 13 American service members killed had pleaded with him to “finish the job. ”

Trump claimed that the campaign had already eliminated a significant threat in little more than a month by portraying the operation as historically rapid. “We are on the verge of putting an end to Iran’s nefarious threat to America and the world,” he stated.

With an undefeated 70 and a 119-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs, Sameer Rizvi helped the Delhi Capitals start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with a crushing six-wicket victory over the Lucknow Super Giants at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday.

From the beginning, the LSG’s plan centered on a pace bowling assault; as a result, the four-pronged seam attack made it simple for them to put the Delhi Capitals under pressure early in their chase of 142 runs.

From the very first ball, the seamers generated plenty of opportunity for movement, which turned out to be too much for KL Rahul (0), who sliced a full outswinger delivery from Mohammad Shami to deep backward point.

Nitish Rana had a difficult time as well, getting a few boundaries off of bad pitches but mostly failing to get into his rhythm before edging a ball from Mohsin Khan to the keeper after a hesitant stay.

Yadav made a significant contribution with the ball. After forcing Pathum Nissanka to hit a top edge shot, which Rishabh Pant caught after running in at an angle and diving, causing him to collide with the fence, he then produced the standout delivery of the Power-play with one that swung late and hit Axar Patel’s stumps after he attempted to flick the ball away on a fuller delivery that had previously swung away from him.

LSG maintained speed throughout the innings, even forcing Mohammed Shami to deliver his whole quota in the first nine overs in search of further breakthroughs as the ball continued to seam and swing late in the innings.

In spite of the fall, Sameer Rizvi attempted to turn the tables. At first, he had trouble finding openings, but then he hit a clever six off a short pitch.

After this, he hit three boundaries on a rare off day for Shahbaz Ahmed. The game’s balance was maintained, however, despite the momentary change in momentum.

Earlier, when asked to bat first, LSG unveiled a new opening batting partnership as captain Rishabh Pant promoted himself to the top order but was dismissed early in the innings due to a terrible runout.

Mitchell Marsh was run out after a bizarre moment in what may have been a caught-and-bowled opportunity. Pant was seven runs short of his crease when the ball touched Mukesh Kumar slightly and struck the stumps at the non-striker’s end.

With an outstanding new-ball stint, Mukesh Kumar established the tone, giving up less than a run every ball in the powerplay while getting swing and seam and keeping Mitchell Marsh quiet outside off.

Soon after being hit for six, Axar Patel then bowled in his signature style, fooling Aiden Markram with a skiddy, angled delivery, as DC held LSG to 48/2.

After Ayush Badoni defeated T. Natarajan in a tight contest, the downfall continued with Nicholas Pooran being outwitted by a beautiful, slower delivery from Lungi Ngidi.

As Marsh tried to face Kuldeep Yadav, Delhi increased its hold when he was out for 35, and rookie Mukul Choudhary briefly impressed with a quick 14 before being caught out by a googly.

Natarajan ultimately fired Abdul Samad, who put up a fight with 36, which set off a late collapse where the remaining players only scored three runs.

Kuldeep contributed two wickets to a strong bowling performance for DC, led by Natarajan and Ngidi, who each grabbed three wickets.

Rizvi showed great poise under pressure, demonstrating that the Delhi Capitals made the right decision by choosing him as the Impact Player over candidates such as Karun Nair and Ashutosh Sharma.

Rizvi recovered from a difficult beginning where he had trouble scoring, going 0 of 9 and then 5 of 13 against LSG’s formidable seam bowlers, to form a 119-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs off 76 balls.

In their overs, he made the most of the limited spin he had, smashing four fours and a six while being very aggressive against Shahbaz Ahmed and Aiden Markram.

Rizvi’s innings, in which he scored a well-deserved fifty off 37 balls, was crucial in turning the tide and giving DC a commanding position in a difficult chase.

Rizvi remained undefeated at 70, while Stubbs scored 39 not out, leading Delhi Capitals to start their season in style with a six-wicket victory against the home team LSG.

Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 141 all out in 18.4 overs (Mitchell Marsh 35, Abdul Samad 36; T Natarajan 3-29, Lungi Ngidi 3-31 Kuldeep Yadav 2-31)
Delhi Capitals 145/4 in 17.1 overs (Sameer Rizavi 70 not out, Tistan Stunns 39 not out; Prince Yadav 2-20, Mohsin Khan 1-19)

Amid the West Asia catastrophe that has disrupted global supply networks, the government announced that it has sufficient seed stock on hand for the next Kharif season.

Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, the Additional Secretary for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, stated at the inter-ministerial briefing that the nation has a self-sufficient seed system supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the public sector, in addition to the private sector.

In addition, there is a strong pipeline with enough seed and breeding material at every stage (certified, foundation, hybrid seeds) to handle any potential disruptions.

Dwivedi said that the wholesale prices of all agricultural commodities are also being watched, and that the prices of the three main crops—tomato, onion, and potato—are in the range and trending favorably, with an increasing trend at the wholesale level.

The government claimed that there was a comfortable seed availability position for the 2026 Kharif season, with a surplus of about 19. 29 lakh quintals.

The nation has 185. 74 lakh quintals available, while the agriculture industry needs 166. 46 lakh quintals.

Additionally, there are seed inputs available for the Rabi season.

The government has already evaluated the effects on farmers and their need for fertilizer throughout the Kharif season. Timely availability and food security will be ensured by the actions taken in recent years to preserve sufficient fertilizer supplies.

To make the distribution system transparent, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently stressed the need to guarantee a fair and continuous supply of fertilizers and instructed authorities to expedite the development of ‘Farmer IDs. ‘ Additionally, he said that he would shortly meet with Chief Ministers and state Agriculture Ministers to discuss how to collaborate on the project.

The minister also stated that orders were given for strong action to be taken against black marketing and hoarding fertilizers and seeds in order to take advantage of the global crisis. State governments would also be urged to take stringent measures in this regard, Chouhan stated.

While the minister stressed sufficient packaging materials, particularly for milk and other agricultural products, in the midst of the worldwide crisis, the meeting with authorities examined the availability of agro-chemicals and the necessary gases for drying seeds.

He also gave instructions for coordinating with the Ministry of Petroleum and other pertinent authorities to guarantee supplies.