National

Gadkari and Fadnavis Launch Patanjali’s Mega Food and Herbal Park at MIHAN Nagpur

Published

11 months ago

March 10, 2025

On Sunday, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, alongside Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, inaugurated Asia’s largest orange processing facility, the ‘Patanjali Mega Food & Herbal Park,’ established by Patanjali at MIHAN, Nagpur.

While honoring Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chief Minister Fadnavis acknowledged the visionary efforts of Nitin Gadkari, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev, and Acharya Balkrishna in expanding Patanjali’s operations in the state.

Despite facing numerous challenges during the establishment of the facility, Ramdev’s commitment to this vision has finally come to fruition. The main goal of Patanjali is to enhance the prosperity of local farmers.

According to discussions with Acharya Balkrishna, this food park will act as a main hub for processing oranges from the region.

The facility will handle sorting, grading, and offer cold storage options for farmers, allowing them to store their oranges and sell them at their convenience. This center is expected to greatly benefit orange growers.

Both the Maharashtra government and Patanjali are systematically delivering on their commitments, and the Patanjali Food Park will soon establish a strong support system for farmers in the area.

The Chief Minister assured that the Maharashtra government will provide all possible assistance to Patanjali in this noble mission.

During the inauguration, Nitin Gadkari expressed gratitude to Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna for responding positively to his and Devendra Fadnavis’s request to set up a fruit processing industry in MIHAN, Nagpur.

He stressed the significance of this initiative, which not only introduces technological advancements to the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park in MIHAN but also provides relief to farmers and employment opportunities for local youth.

Gadkari emphasized that their collaborative vision will contribute to uplifting the underprivileged and marginalized communities.

He noted that over 10,000 farmers in Vidarbha have tragically taken their own lives, primarily due to not receiving fair prices for their crops.

The establishment of this food park has renewed hope among farmers. Previously, small oranges sold for ₹12 per kg, but Patanjali has guaranteed a procurement price of ₹18 per kg. With a daily demand of 800 tons of oranges at this facility, there will be concerted efforts to increase orange production. He added that Agro Vision is working to enhance the yield of oranges, lemons, and sweet limes.

Currently, the average yield per acre in Nagpur is about 4-5 tons, which they aim to raise to 25-30 tons. He expressed confidence that with government initiatives and Patanjali’s dedication, farmers in Vidarbha will no longer resort to such desperate measures.

Speaking at the event, Baba Ramdev described Nagpur as a model metropolis, not only for its infrastructure but also for its religious, cultural, spiritual, industrial, security, and economic significance.

He commended national leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari for their visionary leadership.

Ramdev mentioned that Patanjali has invested around ₹1,000 crore in setting up Asia’s largest orange processing facility in Nagpur and plans an additional ₹500 crore investment. He highlighted that this plant is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery from both India and abroad.

Swami Ramdev also pointed out that orange juice is among the best anti-aging beverages that help prevent premature aging. He criticized the existing market juices, which typically contain only 10% juice, 40% sugar, and the rest made up of diluted solutions.

In contrast, Patanjali’s Nagpur facility will produce 100% pesticide-free, preservative-free, and sugar-free orange juice for the nation and the world. With a processing capacity of 800 tons per day, this initiative aims to enhance farmers’ prosperity and signal a new revolution in agriculture and industry.

Acharya Balkrishna, addressing the audience, acknowledged the significant contributions of three key individuals in bringing the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park to life—Swami Ramdev’s vision, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s dedication to Maharashtra, and Nitin Gadkari’s commitment to farmers in Vidarbha.

He asserted that Patanjali’s vision is to empower individuals, promote self-reliance through local initiatives, and create a sustainable future. He remarked that Vidarbha is often associated with struggling farmers on the brink of despair.

However, this orange processing facility in Nagpur aims to eradicate poverty and reshape the economic landscape of the region.

Local MLA Shri Ashish Deshmukh remarked that Nagpur is fortunate to have a ‘saint’ looking after its oranges. The establishment of this processing facility has brought joy to the area’s orange farmers, and it promises to lead to economic prosperity in Vidarbha.

He urged Swami Ramdev to remove middlemen and traders from the supply chain so that farmers can benefit directly. Farmers in Vidarbha view the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park as a symbol of hope.

The inauguration event was attended by local MLA Ashish Jaiswal, BJP National Co-Organization Secretary Shiv Prakash, Patanjali Foods Ltd MD Rambharat, NP Singh, Prof Sadhvi Devpriya, Anshul, Parul, Swami Parmarth Dev, farmers from Vidarbha and Maharashtra, and members of the Patanjali Women’s Yoga Committee alongside various organizations under Patanjali Yogpeeth.

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National

Three Burned Alive as Car Falls from Bridge in Gujarat’s Rajkot

Published

2 weeks ago

January 31, 2026

Namma Kudla

Gujarat: A tragic accident claimed the lives of three people in Gujarat’s Rajkot district on Monday.A car fell from a bridge and caught fire, killing all occupants on the spot.

The incident occurred on the Gondal–Atkot highway.The car was travelling from Chhota Udepur towards Gondal.

According to reports, the vehicle hit the bridge’s safety barrier.After the collision, the car fell nearly eight feet into a small stream below the bridge.

Soon after the fall, the car caught fire.The occupants were trapped inside the vehicle and were unable to escape.All three were burned alive and died at the scene.

Police and fire personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information.The fire was later brought under control.The bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.

The exact cause of the accident is under investigation. Further details are awaited.

National

Girl Records Reels Inside Jail, Video Sparks Debate

Published

2 weeks ago

January 30, 2026

Namma Kudla

Bhopal: A young woman has come under public attention after recording reels inside a jail while meeting her boyfriend.

The incident happened at Raipur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, which is known for high security. Mobile phones are strictly not allowed inside the jail. Despite this rule, the woman carried her phone into the visitor room.

She recorded videos while talking to her boyfriend during the meeting. In the video, she speaks emotionally about visiting him on his birthday. She says she feels sad because she cannot stay with him on his special day.

After the meeting, she uploaded the video on her social media account. The video quickly went viral on different platforms. The inmate seen in the video is identified as Tarakeshwar.

He is currently lodged in Raipur Central Jail. He is an accused in a case under the NDPS Act. The incident has raised serious questions about jail security.

People on social media are criticising jail staff and officials. Many users are asking how a mobile phone was allowed inside the jail.

They are also questioning the checking process at the jail entrance. So far, jail authorities have not given any official reaction.

National

MBBS Student Alleges She Was Drugged, Raped by Friend in Delhi Hotel

Published

4 months ago

October 6, 2025

Namma Kudla

New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.

According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.

The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.

The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.

Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.

In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.