E-Paper
Govt serious about improving farmers lot
STATE AGRICULTURE Production Commissioner Anis Ansari said the government was concerned about the depleting ground water table in villages and the poor condition of farmers. Hence, it introduced several measures to protect the interests of farmers.
STATE AGRICULTURE Production Commissioner Anis Ansari said the government was concerned about the depleting ground water table in villages and the poor condition of farmers. Hence, it introduced several measures to protect the interests of farmers.
Delivering the inaugural address at the daylong divisional rabi agricultural production meet held at the auditorium of the Indian Institute of Pulse Research (IIPR) here on Tuesday to review agriculture progress in the Agra and Kanpur Divisions, Ansari said the state government was serious about improving the farmers’ condition.
It may be mentioned that recently the Chief Minister had issued strict instructions that a close watch be maintained on the financial position of farmers to avert any situation leading them to commit suicide either for want money or due to harassment by private moneylenders.
Ansari said besides providing all assistance on liberal terms to the farmers for raising the crop production, the thrust of the government was on the complete welfare of farmers.
He said, keeping in view the welfare of the farmers, the government has for the first time prepared a surplus budget for the current year and allocated Rs 3600 crore for the development of agriculture in the State and released about 62 per cent of the budget in the beginning to ensure fast improvement in the agriculture sector.
He said recent reports said that water level in about forty-one lakh villages had considerably gone down. In order to provide water to the villages, the government made a provision of Rs 750 crore and created a pond in each village.
In some villages, where the water level has been very low, provisions of two to three ponds was made, he added.
During the Rabi crop, against the proposed quota of 24 lakh quintal of seeds in villages, about 22 lakh quintal seeds were given to farmers and the balance would soon be released. Similarly, out of 43.80 lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser, 55 per cent of the total fertiliser was given to the farmers, he added.
Referring to the Bhoomi Sena yojana (BSY) and canal cleaning, Ansari said under the BSY Rs 50 crore were spent on improving the wasteland and after ensuring improvement it was given to the needy farmers.
The irrigation Department has also succeeded in cleaning about 2200 kilometre- long canals out of 2700-kilometre long canals in the State.
