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A bonanza of relief for M.P. farmers

Photo: PTI

Solid proof: A farmer showing samples of crops, damaged due to poor supply of power and water, to BJP leaders during the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Bhopal on Wednesday.

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, announced a bonanza of relief for farmers at the Kisan Mahapanchayat (farmers’ convention) organised at the Jamboree grounds here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister announced reduction of interest rate on farm loans from 7 per cent to 5 per cent. He further announced that the penalty on farmers’ pending electricity bills was now being waived. This would entail an additional burden of Rs. 5,600 crore on the exchequer, he added.

He said the State Government would offer additional Rs. 100 on the support price of Rs. 1000 for wheat announced by the Centre. Hence, the support price of wheat would be Rs. 1100 in the State.

Mr. Chauhan announced a 50 per cent subsidy to medium and small farmers for the purchase of irrigation pumps. While waiving the penalty on pending electricity bills, it has also been decided to waive 50 per cent amount recoverable from farmers as per their pending electricity bills. Instead of monthly electricity bills, the farmers would receive their bills twice a year, he added.

Adding to the bonanza, Mr. Chauhan said the fixed electricity charge for irrigation pumps up to 5 horse power was now being reduced from Rs. 700 to Rs. 375. The electricity tariff for the farm sector was also being reduced from Rs. 1.20 per unit to 75 paise per unit. The farmers would get Rs. 24,000 as assistance for digging tube-wells and they would be covered under a special medical treatment scheme.

The Chief Minister said the Government’s sugar cane policy was ready, adding that two sugar mills were being opened in the cooperative sector. He further said that loan recovery had been put on hold in the drought-affected areas.

The Bharatiya Janata Party president, Rajnath Singh, said that because farmers’ interests had not been protected during the last 60 years they were now being forced to commit suicide. He said the Central Government should provide insurance coverage to income from agriculture. This was necessary to protect the farmers from natural calamities.

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