The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR determined to overcome problems

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR determined to overcome problems

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 21. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Sunday admitted that his Government encountered "teething problems" in completing pending irrigation projects at a cost of Rs. 46,000 crores but expressed determination to accomplish the task in five years, "come what may."

Inaugurating the 42nd All-India Convention of Oilseeds, Oil Trade and Industry here, Dr. Reddy, without referring to the legal hurdles, said his Government would overcome all problems and complete the projects.

All for farmers

This would ensure that the farmers were not at the mercy of rain. Listing other steps to improve the lot of farmers, he said the Government had taken up a Rs. 1,200-crore micro-irrigation project. Credit to farmers had gone up by 35 to 40 per cent during the last six months.

Expressing concern at the country being the largest importer of edible oil and low productivity, he wanted oilseed growers, scientists and industry to come up with steps to improve the situation.

He said it was vagaries of nature and low productivity that often forced farmers to commit suicide and "we need to address such problems."

Referring to their demand for rationalisation of taxes, he said it basically pertained to the Central Government. The Value Added Tax to be introduced in all States from April 1, would benefit the oil industry. But whatever problems they had with the State Government would be solved.

His Government would encourage soya cultivation and ensure that it increased by two to three fold in the next three years.

The Agriculture Minister, N. Raghuveera Reddy, spoke of the Centre bringing out a model act for strengthening agriculture produce marketing and sought the oil industry's support for research on drought-resistant and high-yielding oilseeds.

The State ranked first in oil palm cultivation and it stood at 50,000 hectares.

He would look into the oil industry's demand for extending concessional power tariff.

Oil trade demands

Sandeep Bajoria, president of the Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOIT), wanted the Government to look at rationalisation of taxes, increase the import duty on vanaspathi from 30 per cent to 100 per cent and fix a quota on oil imports from Sri Lanka.

O. P. Goenka, president of the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI), stressed the need for setting up a separate department for oilseed development.

R. P Agarwal, president of the AP Oil Millers Association, welcomed.

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