Imphal, April 15: In a series of joint operations, the security forces have recovered illegally held 77 arms, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades, various ammunition and war-like stores, officials said on Tuesday.

The security forces also arrested nine militants of different outfits.

A Defence spokesperson said that the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, ITBP and Manipur Police during the past few days recovered the 77 arms, several IEDs, grenades, different types of ammunition and war-like stores from seven districts — Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Imphal East, Kakching, Jiribam, Kangpokpi and Imphal West.

He said that the recovered arms include Carbines, Self-Loading Rifles (SLR), AK series rifles, AK series rifles, .303 Light Machine Guns (LMGs), Carbine Machine Guns, .303 Rifles, INSAS rifles, Snipers rifles, Double-barrelled Rifles, Single-barrelled Bolt Action Rifles and pistols.

He said that the joint operations by security forces have also resulted in the apprehension of six cadres from various extremist groups, adding that the apprehended extremists and the recovered arms and ammunition have been handed over to the Manipur Police.

“These coordinated efforts by security forces highlight their unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and security in Manipur,” the defence official said.

In separate operations, Manipur Police arrested two militants of the PREPAK outfit and a cadre of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) group from Bishnupur, Jiribam and Imphal East districts and recovered a few arms and ammunition from their possession.

An official said that extortion money of Rs 21.50 lakh was recovered from the UNLF militant.

He said that the search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts. During these operations, temporary shelters of a training camp for Village Volunteers were dismantled at Gelmol village in Churachandpur District.

Bhopal, April 15: In alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata, and Nari (Poor, Youth, Farmer, and Woman), the Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday launched ‘Annadata Kalyan Mission’ (Farmers’ welfare mission) in a “Policy frame”.

The state cabinet in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved the policy.

The state government is aiming to implement a comprehensive policy to increase farmers’ income through diverse activities beyond traditional agriculture.

“The policy has been designed to augment farmers’ earnings through allied sectors, adopting a multidimensional approach to their growth and prosperity. Over the years, agricultural productivity has shown remarkable progress, with yields per hectare rising from 1,195 kg in 2003 to 2,393 kg in 2024 — a significant increase of nearly 200 per cent,” said Kailash Vijayvargiya, the State Urban Development Minister.

The mission aspires to transform farmers into progressive entrepreneurs, promoting practices such as organic farming to boost productivity while safeguarding environmental health, the minister said.

Support will also be extended to farmers cultivating high-value horticultural crops, offering them better market returns. Programmes from horticulture, veterinary, and fisheries departments, among others, will be integrated to provide holistic assistance to the farming community, he said.

“We have already launched policies for the poor, youth, and women in mission mode, as envisioned in the Prime Minister’s GYAN concept. The Annadata initiative will also operate in mission mode,” he added.

Emphasising the state government’s commitment to farmers, the minister pointed out that the agricultural budget has witnessed an exponential rise — from Rs 600 crore during the previous administration to Rs 27,000 crore under the current regime. Furthermore, through the Nadi Jodo Abhiyan (river linking project), Rs 1,00,000 crore has been allocated to enhance irrigation infrastructure, with plans to expand irrigated land across the state. Agriculture now constitutes 39 per cent of the state’s GDP, he said.

“A high-level committee has been established under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, while another will be formed under the Chief Secretary’s leadership. Similar committees will be constituted at the district level to ensure streamlined implementation,” the Minister elaborated.

Highlighting the impressive growth in the agricultural sector, the Minister noted that the agriculture growth rate has surged from 3 per cent in 2003 to the current rate of 9.1 per cent, reflecting an extraordinary increase of over 327 per cent.

He attributed this achievement to consistent hikes in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm yields and the implementation of various welfare initiatives aimed at bolstering the farming community.

Acknowledging the challenges posed by climate change, the Minister underscored the need to adapt farming practices accordingly. “Sustainable agriculture and biodiversity are being prioritised to ensure resilience and sustained productivity,” he said.

To promote millet cultivation on a large scale, the government has launched schemes focusing on Shree Anna.

Sharing an example from Rourkela, the Minister remarked, “When I visited the town, I saw women who were well-dressed and adorned with gold jewelry — a testament to the success of Shree Anna cultivation, which has significantly enhanced their family incomes,” Vijayvargiya said.

“They sell millet at Rs 60 per kg, compared to the previous Rs 1-2 per kg, illustrating the transformative impact of this initiative. Ensuring farmers receive the right price for their produce remains a priority,” the Minister said.

The Farmers Welfare Department of Madhya Pradesh and the Horticulture Cooperative Department will collaborate to drive farmer development.

Complementary measures such as interventions in public health and medical education, are being introduced to support rural communities.

Collectively, these policies aim to revolutionize the agricultural sector, empowering farmers to achieve sustainable and profitable livelihoods.

Financial assistance under the mission is designed to alleviate farmers’ economic burdens by offering affordable loans tailored to their needs, the Minister added.

New Delhi, April 15: With the intervention of the Indian government, the Saudi Haj Ministry has offered a lifeline to private Haj operators whose quota of sending about 10,000 pilgrims faced cancellation due to delayed documentation, an official said on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) said that the Saudi Haj Ministry, in a rare gesture, has agreed to re-open the Haj Portal (Nusuk Portal) to all Indian Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs) to complete their work with respect to 10,000 pilgrims.

The portal had been closed earlier as CHGOs, despite reminders, had failed to comply with the necessary timelines set by the Saudi authorities to finalise the mandatory contracts, including for Mina camps, accommodation, and transport of pilgrims, as required under the Saudi regulations.

The Minority Affairs Ministry has now issued directions to Haj group operators to avail of the special relaxation offered by the Saudi authorities and urgently complete the formalities on the Nusuk Portal.

The matter of ‘cancellation’ of private tour operators’ quota was raised by Former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister and President of the ruling National Conference (NC) Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti also expressed concern over the development.

“Urge the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately intervene by taking up this matter with the Saudi government to seek a resolution”, she said on social media platform X.

The Minority Affairs Ministry said that due to the Indian Government’s efforts, the Haj quota allocation for India has increased from 136,020 in 2014 to 175,025 in 2025.

These quotas are finalised by the Saudi authorities closer to the time of the pilgrimage, it said.

The Ministry, through the Haj Committee of India, manages arrangements for the bulk of the quota allotted to India, which is 122,518 in the current year.

The balance of over 52,000 slots of the quota were allotted, as is customary, to private tour operators, said a statement.

Due to changes in Saudi guidelines, more than 800 Private Tour Operators were consolidated into 26 legal entities termed Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs), by the Ministry this year.

Addressing legal challenges, the Haj quota was allocated by the Ministry to these 26 CHGOs well in advance. However, despite reminders, they failed to comply with the necessary timelines set by the Saudi authorities and failed to finalise the mandatory contracts, including for Mina camps, accommodation, and transport of pilgrims.

The Saudi Haj Ministry later informed that due to delays, the available space in Mina became occupied.

However, due to the Indian Government’s intervention, the Saudi Haj Ministry has agreed to re-open the Haj Portal (Nusuk Portal) to all CHGOs to complete their work in respect of 10,000 pilgrims, said a statement.