Other States - Orissa   

Naveen announces ‘new package’ for farmers

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty.

Celebration mood: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik taking salute at the Independence Day parade in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. —

BHUBANESWAR: As several major mineral based industrial projects were facing strong opposition from the people in different pockets of Orissa, in a strategic move Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made use of the State-level Independence Day function here on Wednesday to announce that his Government was implementing a new package for the farmers.Although he did not announce many new initiatives as part of the ‘new package’, Mr. Patnaik said his Government was according priority to development of agriculture.

The package aimed at ensuring crop diversification and creating market linkages for the agricultural produce.

Stating that cash crops like vegetables, flowers, fruits, fishery, sugarcane and cotton cultivation were of much importance to the farmers, the Chief Minister said the concept of contract farming had also been introduced in many areas keeping the interest of the farmers in view. Reiterating the Government’s earlier announcement to provide irrigation facility to agricultural lands in all the blocks, Mr. Patnaik said that the process had already been initiated in this regard.

The Chief Minister further said rural development was another important programme of his Government. The Jaladhara scheme had been launched to provide safe drinking water through pipeline to villages, Mr. Patnaik said. Next year, about 1000 villages will be provided with drinking water under the scheme.

Observing that he was always laying stress on harnessing of the State’s abundant mineral resources for the development of the State and its people, Mr. Patnaik said that 25 companies had already started production. This programme will induce great changes in the State’s economy.

Talking about the fast changes that were taking place in the fields of information technology and tourism, the Chief Minister said efforts were on to improve the living standard of the common men through development of infrastructure, agriculture, industry, irrigation and education.

"My government has also paid special attention to the welfare of the poor, scheduled castes, tribes, farmers and workers," he said. Mr. Patnaik also stressed the need for transparency at every level to make the benefits of developmental programmes reach the people in the right way.

Independence Day celebrations were also organised at all the district headquarter towns of the State. Different Ministers, District Collectors and other dignitaries attended those functions.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Training for ‘positive’ speakers
Digital display board at OMC
Another alumina plant to be set up
A celebration of sorts
‘Protest week’ against SEZs
New Democracy seeks basic facilities in PHCs
Call for Cuttack bandh
OTV forays into film production
Naveen announces ‘new package’ for farmers
Four of family die in suicide pact

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu