Govt. will stand by the farmers, will protect them: CM

Hyderabad|India|December'2010: "We are with you. We will stand by you for all times to come. You will not be allowed to suffer. All your interests will be taken care of. All your genuine problems will be solved", the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said referring to the various issues of the affected farmers in the State. The Chief Minister reiterated that his Government is pro-farmer and will ever remain so and is fully committed to the welfare of farmers. He said that farmers' interest is the top most priority of his Government and they will be taken care of, come what may. "I am also son of a farmer and proud of it and hence it is my bounden duty to protect the interests of farmers in the State", he said. He said his Government will continue all welfare programmes for farmers initiated by late Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

He once again reviewed the progress of procurement of paddy with officials concerned from Delhi over telephone.

The Chief Minister said that in spite of financial constraints, his government has announced the best possible relief package for farmers affected by the recent heavy rains. The Chief Minister said that the State Government not only got the Government of India relaxation for procurement of discoloured and damaged paddy at MSP but also decided to procure paddy up to 10% damage without any value cut. The Government also decided to procure damaged and discoloured paddy from 10% to 50% damage with minimum value cut. So far, 375 paddy purchase centres were opened through Civil supplies department and efforts were made to purchase damaged/discoloured paddy up to 50% through FCI, Civil Supplies and IKP groups. The State Government is contemplating to open additional centres to speed up the paddy procurement. He said this is what any government at the present circumstances can do.

The Government has already notified 483 Mandals as affected in the State and the number is likely to increase further. “We have already decided to waive interest on 2010 Kharif loans to benefit the affected farmers as well as to include tenant farmers also for the payment compensation for crop loss. Besides, the input subsidy is raised from the present Rs.4,500 to Rs.6,000 per Hectare”, the Chief Minister said. He said for the first time that all the benefits will be given to tenant farmers also who were till now not getting these benefits. Further, it is decided to reschedule the bank loans taken by the farmers and striving to provide maximum compensation to the farmers under crop insurance also, the Chief Minister said. Having concern at the loss of milch animals, sheep, goats and poultry, as well as losses incurred by fishermen and handloom weavers; the State Government has also raised the loss compensation under these sectors liberally.

The State Government since the last six years, have spent a total sum of Rs. 6,579 crore towards calamity relief out of which the central share is only Rs.3,370 crore. Thus, the State Government have spent Rs.3,204 crore towards calamity relief.

The Chief Minister said that it is the Congress Government which started a number of welfare schemes for the farmer since the last six years. He said a record 27.80 lakh free agricultural connections were given and the total subsidy for free power for farmers works out to Rs.4912 crores per annum. The cumulative subsidy for free connections since 2004-05 is Rs.29,303 crores. This is yet another record in the country as in no other State; such massive funds are spent on power subsidy to farmers.

Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the Congress government launched the massive irrigation projects under Jalayagnam programme to help famers. In all, 86 projects were contemplated to provide water to an ayacut of 1 crore acres. He said 12 irrigation projects are completed and irrigation potential created for 20 lakh acres. Besides, 43 irrigation projects are now taken up on priority basis and complete them by 2012-13.

The Chief Minister said crop loans disbursed since 2004-05 are Rs.1,61,100 crores benefitting 5.83 crore farmers. Year-wise break-up is: Rs.13,620 crores in 2004, Rs.37,574 crores in 2009 and it is Rs.27,652 crores in 2010as on date. Similarly, a sum of Rs.2,700 crores was spent towards crop insurance disbursements since 2004-05 benefitting 36.5 lakh farmers.

Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said as far as debt waiver is concerned, during the financial year 2008-09, over Rs.11,350 crores were waived benefitting 64 lakhs farmers under the Government of India farm loan waiver scheme. In addition to this, the State Government has spent Rs.1,600 crores benefitting 32 lakhs farmers @ Rs.5,000/- to each who were not covered under the debt waiver scheme of the Government of India. The Chief Minister asked whether any party or government did more than this for the farmers in the country.

The Chief Minister said his Government is also committed to provide input subsidy, seed subsidy and fertiliser subsidy etc. to the farmers. He further disclosed that the government is fully geared up to meet the requirements of affected farmers.