CHENNAI, Oct 25 : With Tamil Nadu pressing for timely and enhanced paddy procurement to bail out farmers who have harvested their crop, particularly in the Cauvery delta districts, the rice bowl of the state, union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said the Centre had made record procurement at remunerative prices.
Speaking to reporters in Vellore, he disagreed with the ruling DMK’s charge that the union Government was slack in paddy procurement from Tamil Nadu, saying “In a federal structure, we should not accuse each other but rather work together for the farmers’ welfare. Enhancing the MSP for paddy, we have ensured remunerative prices for farmers.”
He was visiting the ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) as part of the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA), as part of the nation-wide campaign, celebrating the country’s progress in agriculture and food-grain production.
Emphasising the union Government’s commitment to bridge together the efforts of the state governments to make farming and agriculture more productive, resilient and farmer-centric, he interacted with progressive farmers, Women Self Help Groups, rural youth and agripreneurs. The Minister said it was a welcome signal that a large number of farmers were turning to natural farming and earning profits.
He urged the Tamil Nadu government to implement programmes like the PM Jan Dhan Krishi Yojana, designed for blocks where average production is low, and the Dhalan Mission as well as the Thilhan Mission, through which initiatives are being made to boost production of pulses and oilseeds.
Responding to complaints from farmers about a new kind of pest attack in coconut trees, Chouhan said a team of scientists would be deputed to study the problem and find a solution. On crop damages in the recent heavy rain spell, his response was that these farmers were covered under the Fasal Bima Yojana and there won’t be any delay in releasing the compensation.
(UNI)
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