The Hindu : National : BJP seeks CMs’ meet on agriculture

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Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007
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BJP seeks CMs’ meet on agriculture

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday called for a meeting of Chief Ministers to suggest a “course correction in agriculture” and emphasise the need for more investment in the sector.

A four-page resolution was adopted on the subject on the last day of the party’s two-day national executive committee meeting.

The resolution quoted M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman of the National Commission on Farmers, who made a presentation on agriculture on Monday evening, to warn that “the entire farming sector is heading for a collapse, if no rapid remedial measures are taken.”

This was the first time that the party’s national executive committee had invited non-party experts to speak to the members. The idea was that the party’s leadership should be in touch with and understand deeply the issues related to the subject.

No surprises

There were no surprises in the resolution since the party reiterated what it had been saying for years — interest on loans to farmers should be further reduced to four per cent; crop insurance and farm insurance schemes must be implemented; and the river-linking project must be taken up seriously.

The resolution said agricultural policy must be oriented to self-sufficiency in food; farmers must be encouraged to supplement their incomes through horticulture, poultry, dairy and fishery; and farmers must get better price for their produce even if that meant higher price of cereals in the market.

The former president of the party, Venkaiah Naidu, who moved the resolution, explained the highlights later to the media and released copies of the resolution.

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