The Hindu : U.S. adopting double standards on farm subsidy: Krishna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

U.S. adopting double standards on farm subsidy: Krishna

By Our Correspondent

The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, felicitating Balagangadharanatha Swamiji of Adi Chunchanagiri Math at the swamiji's 60th birthday celebrations in Chickaballapur on Sunday.

KOLAR, JAN. 18. The U.S. is adopting double standards in providing subsidies to the farm sector, the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, has said. He was speaking after inaugurating the 60th birthday celebrations of Balagangadharanatha Swamiji of Adi Chunchanagiri Math in Chickaballapur on Sunday.

Mr. Krishna said during his discussion with an economist from the U.S., who was part of the Economic Advisory Committee for the former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, it was revealed that the U.S. allocated subsidy of $ four billions a year to 25,000 farmers who grew cotton. However, the U.S. prevailed upon developing countries to cut subsidies for the farm sector under World Trade Organisation regime, Mr. Krishna regretted.

He urged the Union Government to ponder over the issue and take appropriate steps in the matter. Mr. Krishna said the U.S. waged war against Iraq not to establish a democratic setup in that country but only to have full control over the abundant oil reserves there.

He said environment pollution had contributed to the failure of rainfall. People should preserve and protect environment, he said and hailed the efforts of Sri Balagangadharanatha Swamiji who had founded the Vanasamvardhana Trust with a mission to plant trees all over the country. Referring to demand by the people of Chickaballapur for district status to Chickaballapur, the Chief Minister said the Government had agreed in principle to name the new district (of Chikballapur) after M. Visvesvaraya. Sri Balagangadharanatha Swamiji called upon the people to dedicate themselves to the development of society. He said sacrifice and hard work were the need of the hour. He said that his math was committed to the welfare of the downtrodden.

Saikumar Baba of Vyadhi Nivaran Ashram of Secunderabad, Sri Shivapuri Swamiji of Omkar Ashram, Bangalore, R.L. Jalappa, K.H. Muniyappa, Ambarish, all MPs, M.V. Venkatappa, Speaker, B.L. Shankar, Chairman of the Legislative Council, Krishna Byre Gowda, Vemgal MLA, Anasuyamma, Chikballapur MLA, and K.N. Nage Gowda, President of the State unit of the All India Progressive Janata Dal, spoke.

V. Muniyappa Mines and Geology Minister, presided over the function. H.M. Revenna, Minister for Textiles, T.B. Jayachandra, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, V.R. Sudarshan, Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, K. Srinivasa Gowda, N. Sampangi, Shivashankara Reddy, Krishnappa, Nazeer Ahmed, all legislators were present. Over 400 kg of silver was presented to the seer after "Thula Bhara". The silver would be utilised for a chariot of the math. Chouhan and Felix De Souza of Mumbai donated 100 acres of land near Mumbai to Adi Chunchanagiri Math.

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