Saturday, Mar 19, 2005
Saturday, Mar 19, 2005 |
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Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Tamil Nadu
By S. Vydhianathan
CHENNAI, MARCH 18. Tardy implementation of welfare and infrastructure development schemes in rural areas is a critical impediment to the growth of the farm sector. This is the feedback obtained by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development from farmers. The status focus paper, submitted by the bank at a recent review meeting of an action plan programme, lists farmers' grievances, which include inadequate extension support, lack of market support, absence of rural road connectivity, non-availability of timely farm credit and lack of awareness of bank loans.
`no proper guidance'
The extension support provided by the Government, the farmers said, was inadequate, more so in animal husbandry. There was no proper technical guidance. Authorities were under the false impression that it was enough if fertilizer and plant protection chemicals were distributed. Farmers wanted proper guidance on scientific protection measures, pest management and nutrient management. The period of transition from the laboratory to land of new technologies or innovative farm practices was long and the Government should popularise them by conducting demonstration programmes. Delay in payment of dues, especially for sugarcane supplied to mills, resulted in delayed repayment of loans to banks and made the farmers ineligible for fresh loans. Exploitation by middlemen was common, especially in horticulture crops such as mango, tomato and coconut. In this connection, the farmers pointed out the usefulness of "Uzhavar Sandais," which had become almost defunct now. They wanted not only the revival of these direct marketing facilities but also the setting up of such markets in all blocks. On infrastructure development, the farmers said rural road connectivity linking villages (production points) and market/consumer centres was poor. The public transport system was not reliable. They were put to hardship in transport of the produce. The credit delivery mechanism of the cooperative, nationalised and scheduled banks was far from satisfactory. The farmers complained that credit was not available when they were badly in need of it. Even if it was available, the cost was high and prohibitive. The quantum of loan offered was based not on requirement but on the security provided by farmers. This, they said, often led to under-financing. They wanted a comprehensive crop, cattle and activity insurance scheme with an affordable premium and easy settlement procedure to compensate them whenever crop failure or death of cattle occurred. The farmers suggested that micro-irrigation systems be popularised and demanded desilting of small tanks, renovation of supply channels and interlinking of tanks. Watershed development should be executed in all overexploited blocks. A directory on agriculture with the names and addresses of persons/institutions competent to guide farmers might be prepared for every district in the local language. All needs of farmers — inputs, extension services and marketing insurance — should be provided under a single window scheme, reducing their burden.
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