The inter-state dispute between Bengal and Jharkhand over the supply of potatoes was raised in Parliament on Tuesday. Hazaribagh BJP MP Manish Jaiswal raised the issue in the Lok Sabha. He urged the central government to intervene in the matter. He said that people are facing problems due to Bengal's blockade on Jharkhand's potato consignment.

Criticising the move, it was termed as a violation of inter-state trade rules and a serious matter affecting the poor. The Bengal government has banned the supply of potatoes to other states. This has had a severe impact on Jharkhand's markets. Jharkhand is dependent on Bengal for at least 60 per cent of its potato consumption throughout the year.

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee defends the restrictions

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren directed Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari to talk to Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on the issue. They spoke to each other, but there was no result. The restrictions are still in place. The issue was also raised in the Bengal Assembly on Monday, where Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee defended the restrictions.

An action plan should be made to deal with terrorism: Parliamentary committee

The government should formulate an action plan to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism as terror attacks in India can be prevented only by dismantling all terror networks and safe havens, a parliamentary standing committee said on Tuesday.

In its report presented in the Lok Sabha, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, said India should make coordinated global efforts to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in neighbouring countries.

The committee said that we wish that the government should continue its diplomatic efforts at every platform to expose Pakistan's nefarious activities and its links with various terrorist organizations. The committee also called for strengthening India's land borders and sea routes to prevent infiltration of terrorists into the country. The committee said that the problem of terrorism in India is largely sponsored from across the border.

Bengal government is giving money of central schemes to ineligible people: Shivraj

Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the government will not allow misuse of resources. He alleged that the Bengal government was misusing central plan money and giving benefits of welfare schemes to ineligible people. During Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Shivraj strongly refuted Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee's allegation that the central government had not released money to Bengal for various welfare schemes.

He said that the Bengal government has actually made ineligible people beneficiaries instead of eligible people and by doing so it has committed a crime. Citing the law, he said that if any central scheme is not implemented properly or its funds are misused, then the central government can stop the funds given to the states. Minister of State for Rural Development Chandrashekhar Pemmasani rejected the fact that the central government has cut funds for MNREGA.