Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Centre to consider CM's plea for more drought aid

By Our Correspondent

KAKINADA JAN. 3. The Union Agriculture Minister, Rajnath Singh, today said that a high-level committee, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, would meet in New Delhi on January 6 to decide on the request of the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, for more Central assistance to tide over the drought situation in the State.

He told newsmen here that the Chief Minister had asked the Centre to immediately release

Rs.859.89 crores, besides 50 lakh metric tonnes of rice to meet the drought situation. The Centre provided 3.8 lakh tonnes of rice and Rs.161.61 crores to the State. He said as against 1,127 mandals in the State 315 mandals were affected by the drought.

Explaining the measures for the benefit of farmers, Mr. Rajnath Singh said the minimum support price was raised to all the crops, including wheat, sugarcane and oil seed. He said the country had achieved a record foodgrains production of 220 million tonnes during the year. The Minister said his Ministry had prepared an action plan to double the foodgrains production.

Blaming the Congress for showing lip sympathy to farmers, Mr. Rajnath Singh said the National Democratic Alliance Government led by A.B. Vajpayee took several measures for the benefit of farmers. The new farm income insurance scheme, Kisan cell, FM radio kisan service and toll-free call centre are some of the novel schemes grounded this month, he noted.

On the Bharatiya Janata Party stance on the separate Telangana issue, he said the BJP would extend cooperation to the Telugu Desam Party in the elections and discuss about the issue later.

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