Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi, An ally of the BJP, Akali Dal, today urged the Centre to immediately compensate farmers for the losses they incurred on account of recent unseasonal rains.
Participating in a Lok Sabha debate today on the prevailing agrarian stress in the country, Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra demanded that under the relief offered to farmers for natural calamities, the Centre should pay Rs10,000 per acre instead of Rs3,600 per acre, which was provided currently.
“At least the cost of production per acre, which is Rs10,000 should be paid,” said Chandumajra, also demanding immediate implementation of the MS Swaminathan recommendations on MSP.
Chandumajra also said the farming community deserved protection of the Centre and more financial relief in terms of exemptions from debt. “Corporate houses are enjoying massive exemptions in the form of tax relief and these exemptions translate into Rs6 lakh crore annually. If farmers are given even half of this, their lot would improve significantly,” said the MP, further demanding measures to reduce the rising cost of farm production.
“Annually, we waste 1160 billion cubic metre of rain water whereas we need only about 425 billion cubic metre. We need to find ways of rain water harvesting so that we can reduce the massive cost of irrigation,” he said adding that unless farmers were empowered the country could not progress.
Chandumajra cited the fact that 60 per cent of people still depended on agriculture sector in which investments have gradually and progressively reduced. “Farmers must be given debt relief and norms for the crop insurance scheme should be altered to take into account extreme weather situations and resultant calamities which are hampering farm produce and pushing farmers into debt,” Chandumajra, Anandpur Saheb MP of Akali Dal said.
Earlier, initiating the debate on the issue, P Karunakaran of CPM urged the Centre to come up with solutions to address the prevailing farm stress.
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh will reply to the debate tomorrow.
