The Hindu : Karnataka News : Rahul Gandhi for strengthening agricultural credit system

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Friday, Mar 28, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Rahul Gandhi for strengthening agricultural credit system

Staff Correspondent

Holds interaction with farmers, experts at Hulkoti

‘Implement loan waiver scheme based on productivity of farmlands’

Rajiv Gandhi Educational Society’s Ayurvedic Hospital inaugurated

For farmers: AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi at an interactive programme at Hulkoti in Gadag district on Thursday. KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge and the former Minister H.K. Patil are seen.

HULKOTI (Gadag district): How to make dry-land cultivation profitable, need for streamlining and strengthening agricultural credit system, penalising the merchants who purchase produce at prices below minimum support price (MSP), micro finance... these were the issues that were discussed during the interaction held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Hulkoti near Gadag on Thursday in which AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi took part.

As many as 82 selected persons including farmers, agricultural scientists, weather experts and those involved in the cooperative movement were part of the discussion, which focussed on the problems of farmers especially cotton growers.

Speaking to presspersons at Ron in Gadag district after Mr. Gandhi left for Badami, the former Minister H.K. Patil said that there were discussions on the issue of agricultural credit and on making dry-land cultivation profitable.

He said that Director of KVK Laxman Hiregoudar made a presentation on the problems of the farmers in the region and pointed out some sectors where the Government was required to concentrate. The former MLA D.R. Patil advocated the need for a policy to punish the merchants who purchased produce at prices less than the MSP. He said that by announcing the MSP the Government was not doing a favour to farmers, it was only protecting their right to get a minimum price for their yield, according to Mr. Patil.

Mr. Patil said that during the interaction, Mr. Gandhi underscored the need for strengthening the agricultural credit system and bringing agriculture to the centre stage. Mr. Gandhi also stressed the need for implementing the loan waiver scheme announced by the Union Government based on the productivity of farmlands rather than putting a ceiling on landholdings, he said.

Mr. Gandhi was two hours behind schedule when he reached Hulkoti. However, he chose to spend almost an hour in the interaction.

He stopped twice on his way to Hulkoti to greet the people who had gathered to welcome him. He stopped near Bapuji Vidyaniketan School near Annigeri after he saw schoolchildren gathered by the roadside to greet him.

Mr. Gandhi jumped the security cordon of SPG personnel and went amid the children to shake hands with them.

People of Ron were disappointed as Mr. Gandhi spent only a few minutes at the Rajiv Gandhi Educational Society’s Ayurvedic Hospital after inaugurating it.

A large number of people had waited for more than three hours to listen to Mr. Gandhi.

However, immediately after inaugurating the hospital, Mr. Gandhi left for Badami without addressing the people.

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