News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts:
Retail Plus |
Classifieds |
Jobs |
Obituary |
Tamil Nadu
Ramadoss wants separate budget for agriculture
Special Correspondent
|
Decries unremunerative prices for farm produce
|
S. Ramadoss
VILLUPURAM: Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to formulate a separate budget for agriculture, similar to the Railway Budget, to give a boost to the farm sector.
In a letter, a copy of which was made available to reporters at the press conference held at Thailapuram on Thursday, Dr. Ramadoss said that while the industrial sector was growing by 9.2 per cent, the farm sector was tottering around two per cent. The fluctuating fortunes in agriculture had created tension in rural areas, prompting farmers to end their lives. The malady in the farm sector, he said, was caused by lack of investment and unremunerative prices for farm produce.
Therefore, the PMK felt that a separate budget for agriculture would help prop up agriculture. If the Centre could not come out with a separate farm budget, it could earmark at least 40 per cent of the outlay in the general budget for rural development.
Dr. Ramadoss suggested that a national board on agriculture, similar to the Railway Board, be formed to formulate, analyse, monitor and evaluate the schemes for agricultural development. He wanted a national policy of farmers implemented from this year itself, and efforts to create farm infrastructure, ensure remunerative prices, waive farm loans, provide crop insurance and increase the wages of farm labourers.
The PMK wanted the Centre to step up the outlay for education from the current three per cent to six per cent of the Gross Domestic Product for “developing a qualitative, affordable and equitable education system.”
He lauded the success of the Sarva Siksha Abiyan.
Dr. Ramadoss said the National Rural Health Mission had started empowering rural people through a “preventive and curative” health system. But, paucity of resources hampered faster progress in the health sector.
So, the Centre should increase the budgetary provision for health, at least by two-three per cent of the GDP, and increase the allocation considerably for the health mission.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Tamil Nadu
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts:
Retail Plus |
Classifieds |
Jobs |
Obituary |
Updates:
Breaking News |
|
