The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Sloganeering mars Minister’s meeting

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 03, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Sloganeering mars Minister’s meeting

Special Correspondent

Ryots unhappy over poor compensation paid to them for crop loss

ONGOLE: The meeting of tobacco growers addressed by Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh here on Sunday was marred by slogan shouting.

The farmers expressed unhappiness over poor compensation paid to them for crop loss suffered due to untimely rain and also over loan waiver scheme announced by the Central Government.

TDP leader Divi Sivaram and CPI(M) leader N. Ranga Rao, demanded the Government increase compensation for crop loss and waive all loans sanctioned before February 2008.

Finance Minister K Rosaiah said as no Government can compensate the loss completely, it could give only token relief.

Mr. Jairam Ramesh said that the Government will take into consideration the concerns of the farmers and make necessary changes to provide relief to farmers.

Mr. Jairam Ramesh also said that China had agreed to buy 10 million kg of tobacco from India every year.

He said that China would be entering Indian market for the first time after 25 years to buy tobacco. But he cautioned the farmers against excess production. Saying that anti-tobacco campaign is gaining ground in the world, he advised farmers to switch over to alternative crops like medicinal plants. He gave away a compensation of Rs. 5,000 per hectare to tobacco growers who had lost their crop due to untimely rain in February and Rs. 2,000 per hectare to those who suffered partial crop damage.

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

Andhra Pradesh