Chandigarh, October 4: While assuring the farmers that MSP regime will continue, Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal said that the new Farm Acts recently introduced by the Central Government are in the larger interest of farmers and the positive impact of these reforms in the agriculture sector will be visible in the near future. He said that efforts are being made to ensure that farmers earn income of minimum Rs one lakh per acre.
Mr Manohar Lal was addressing the progressive farmers during the “Progressive Farmers Conference and Discussion on Agriculture Acts” organized by Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department and Haryana State Agriculture and Marketing Board (HSAMB) at Karnal today.
While lambasting the Congress Party for misleading the farmers for their vested interests, the Chief Minister said that today demand is being raised to bring MSP under the Act. The Congress remained in power in Centre and State on different occasions between the year 1966 to 2014 and why they did not bring any Act to give legal guarantee to MSP, he questioned.
He said that if the Congress is truly a well wisher of farmers, it should ask its Government in Rajasthan and Punjab to purchase Bajra (Millet), Sunflower seeds and Moong on MSP as already being done in Haryana. This time we have also decided to purchase Maize on MSP in the State. Each and every grain of Maize would be purchased by the State Government, he added. The Chief Minister said that recently he held a meeting with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and upon his initiative; the CCI has agreed to procure 100 per cent cotton from Haryana on fulfilling the permissible parameter of moisture content upto 12 per cent. Earlier, only 25 per cent cotton was being purchased by the CCI.
The Chief Minister said that agriculture and farmers form the basis of all welfare policies and programmes of the Central and State Government. He said that there is a need to make such arrangements that the farmers are not required to sell even a single grain of their produce on MSP rather they are able to sell it on a price higher than the MSP. He assured that the entire produce of the farmers would be procured in the mandis of the State in case they do not get higher prices outside. He said that earlier, the farmers were able to sell their produce at a single place but now the new Farms Act has given them the freedom to sell their crop anywhere.
The Chief Minister said that as land holdings in the State are continuously shrinking, schemes are being prepared to assist those farmers who have small land holdings and are completely dependent only on agriculture by encouraging them to venture into agro-allied activities like dairy farming, bee-keeping, fisheries etc so that their income could be increased. Apart from this, such farmers would also be provided guidance for the marketing of their produce. He said that contract farming will help the farmers to get assured income.
The Chief Minister said after consultation with the Arhtiyas and Farmers, it has been decided that those farmers who want payment through Arhtiyas would be given payment through Arhtiyas and those who intend to get their payment through bank, the amount would be deposited into their bank accounts. He said that it has also been decided to increase the number of VITA booths in the State from 700 to 4000. Apart from milk, fresh fruits and vegetables would also be made available on these booths. He said that Haryana Agro Industries Corporation Limited would also set up 2000 retail outlets in the State to sell agri-products. Apart from the products of various leading brands, packed food items prepared by the Self Help Groups (SHGs) would also be sold on these outlets to give further momentum to the call of “Vocal for Local” given by Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister also listed various other steps taken by the present State Government for the welfare of farmers in the State. These included upto 85 per cent subsidy under Micro Irrigation projects, waiving off electricity bills of farmers pending for the last 20 years, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Meri Fasal-Mera Byora Yojna for the registration of farmers and Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana.
Earlier, speaking on this occasion, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister, Mr J.P Dalal accused the Congress Party for spreading lies on the three new Farm Acts and said that Congress has nothing to do with the welfare of farmers. He said that during their tenure, the Congress Government whether at the Centre or State did nothing to safeguard their interest and never paid any heed to their concerns.
Quoting figures in support of his claim, Mr Dalal said that in the ten year tenure of previous Congress Government in the State compensation of Rs 827 crore were given to the farmers. Contrary to this, the present State Government in its last five years tenure has given Rs 2,764 crore as compensation to the farmers on account of loss to the crop. He said that during the Congress regime, the average recovery of sugar mills was 8.98 per cent which has now increased to 10.02 per cent in the last five years. Similarly, the per capita milk production in the State has also been increased from 800 gm to 1100 gm.
Earlier, a panel discussion was also organized in which experts from different fields of agriculture shared their views on the benefits of Farms Act. The panellists included Mr Vijay Sardana, Mr D.P. Malik, Dr K.K Kundu and Mr Puneet Singh Thind. On this occasion, six progressive farmers also shared their experiences on the latest techniques adopted by them to enhance agricultural productivity and their income. They included Mr Raj Kumar and Mr Harminder Singh from Kurukshetra, Mr Ishwar Singh Kundu from Kaithal, Ms Anita from Panipat, Mr Satpal from Fatehabad and Mr Sahab Singh from Karnal.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department, Mr Devender Singh presented the welcome address and informed about various schemes and programmes being run for the welfare of farmers while Chief Administrator, Haryana State Agriculture and Marketing Board (HSAMB), Mrs Sumedha Kataria gave a detailed presentation on the three Farms Act recently introduced by the Central Government.