The Hindu : National : Modi announces programme to educate farmers from May 11

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Wednesday, May 04, 2005

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Modi announces programme to educate farmers from May 11

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister seeking free publicity: Congress

GANDHINAGAR: : The Gujarat Government is to hold a month-long "Krishi Mahotsav" from May 11 to "educate" agriculturists on all aspects of farming. The Congress has called for a boycott of the programme.

Addressing a "high-tech" press conference, in which more than 550 journalists participated via satellite, Chief Minister Narendra Modi described the event as a "holy and constructive task" intended to reach out to farmers in 18,000-odd villages.

Aboard 228 "kisan raths" — tractors adorned with posters — government officials, agricultural experts, representatives of banks and others connected with agriculture and farming technology will visit each village.

They will educate farmers on crop pattern, benefits of drip irrigation, land development, cooperative farming and banking, village development, water conservation and government schemes.

`Biggest movement'

"This will be the biggest ever movement concerning the farmers in which about two crore people directly or indirectly connected with the farm sector will participate," Mr. Modi said.

The Congress, however, said farmers all over the State would "boycott" the "mahotsav."

The party's State president, Bhairondan Gadhavi, said the "anti-farmer" Government of Mr. Modi had no right to "squander public funds for his own publicity."

It was an attempt to woo back the farmers who voted against the BJP in the parliamentary elections.

The Government had failed to implement the crop insurance scheme and ensure adequate power supply and remunerative prices to farmers. It was now forcing the district panchayats and district agricultural produce markets to spend over Rs. 6 crores for "free publicity to Mr. Modi."

Congress workers would organise demonstrations in every district and taluk headquarters wherever the "kisan raths" went.

Denies charges

Denying the charges, Mr. Modi said neither the panchayats nor the agricultural produce markets were being forced to spend funds for the "mahotsav."

The programme would be carried out under the Government's budgeted schemes.

Criticising the Congress' "negative attitude", he said the State farmers enjoyed the "highest power subsidy" and the record of disbursement of crop insurance payments here was "the best'' among all States.

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