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NABARD should focus on agriculture sector to uplift Himachal’s rural economy: CM
The CM said the Centre’s three agriculture laws are aimed at protecting the interests of farmers and free them from exploitation at the hands of middlemen.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) should work with greater focus on the agriculture sector to strengthen the rural economy in Himachal Pradesh, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Tuesday.
He was presiding over the NABARD State Credit Seminar 2021-22, organised by its regional office. The theme of the seminar was ‘Collectivisation of Agricultural Produce for Enhancing Farmers Income’. The CM also released NABARD State Focus Paper-2021-22 and a booklet on ‘Various Refinance Schemes of NABARD’ on the occasion.
Thakur expressed hope that ‘The State Focus Paper’ will act as an input for the credit and infrastructure planning by bankers and state government to prioritise allocation of funds for development. He said this annual exercise aims at promoting the increased production in agriculture and allied sectors and generating job opportunities in the farm as well as non-farm sector by the envisaged credit support.
“Being a special state, on account of its hilly terrain and other socio-economic conditions, planning needs of Himachal cannot be equated with other states,” the CM said.
He said the state needs special parameters while working out its credit and developmental needs and implementing strategies. Average land holdings in Himachal Pradesh is one acre and constitute 88% of total land holdings of the state against the national average of 1.15 hectare and 86.21%respectively. Eighty percent of the total cultivated area in the state is rain-fed. All these factors of the low productivity and production of agriculture pose challenges for the planners and stakeholders, he said.
Appreciating the concept of Farmer Producers’ Organisations (FPO) of NABARD, Thakur said the main objective of the FPOs was collectivisation of agricultural produce, value addition and collective marketing so that farmers can fetch better prices of their produce. He said the cumulative assistance sanctioned to the state under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) was ₹8,679.28 crore as on date, which is a major facilitator in creation of infrastructure.
The CM said bankers should issue Kissan Credit Cards to each and every eligible farmer in the state to facilitate them in availing credit as per their needs. He said NABARD has estimated ₹ 2,7724.04 crore credit potential in priority sectors in the state for current fiscal, which is 7.22% higher than year plan of ₹ 2,5857.26 crore.
Agri laws in farmers’ interest
The CM said the Centre’s three agriculture laws are aimed at protecting the interests of farmers and free them from exploitation at the hands of middlemen. He said farmers will be able to get best price of their produce in any market of their choice.
Thakur expressed hope that the professional and personal relationship between NABARD and Himachal Pradesh government will go a long way to benefit people of the state.
Congratulates state police for bagging CCTNS award
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur congratulated director general of police Sanjay Kundu and members of Himachal Pradesh Police for being conferred the CCTNS Award for ‘Best Performing State’ in Good Practices on Criminal Crime Tracking Network Information System (CCTNS)/Inter-operative Criminal Justice System (ICJS) among hilly states of the country.
Thakur expressed hope that Himachal Pradesh Police will continue its outstanding services to the people of the state in future and earn a name for the state.
The award was announced during a two-day seminar organised by the National Crime Records Bureau on CCTNS and Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS). The seminar was presided by minister of state for home affairs G Kishan Reddy.
CCTNS is used by the police to create and share a database of crime and criminals with each other to track them in real time. It is the base for the nation’s crime records and assists in investigation of criminal cases.
