The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : UPA Government all for welfare of ryots: Minister

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Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

UPA Government all for welfare of ryots: Minister

Staff Reporter

‘Liberalisation of rice exports gives fillip to paddy cultivation’

Kakinada: Union Minister of State for Defence and Kakinada MP M.M Pallam Raju asserted that the farm loan waiver scheme and hike in minimum support price of paddy to Rs 850 per quintal would help in alleviating the plight of farmers. Besides, the liberalization of rice exports would give a fillip to paddy cultivation on which a huge number of farmers were dependent, he observed.

Addressing a farmers’ meeting organized by the District Congress Committee (DCC) here on Monday, Mr. Pallam Raju said that the UPA Government was fully committed to the welfare of farmers and it was taking all steps to protect them from fluctuating market forces. He said efforts were on to streamline institutional credit delivery to save them from private money lenders and added that 4.30 crore farmers would benefit from the loan waiver scheme.

State Panchayat Raj Minister JC Diwakar Reddy called upon the farmers to vote for Congress in the 2009 elections so that the Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy came out with more farmer-friendly measures such as giving interest-free loans. He said the Chief Minister never lost sight of the problems of farmers and that he was a person who would never forget their unqualified support to the party.

Mr. Diwakar Reddy also appreciated Rahul Gandhi’s concern for the farmers and advised the latter to remember that no other party in the country could take such brave steps as loan waiver. The Congress was committed to the welfare of all sections.

Minister for Small Industries G Surya Rao, Amalapuram MP GV Harsha Kumar, DCC president and Jaggampeta MLA TV Narasimham and others were present.

Earlier, the Union Minister Pallam Raju, State Ministers and party MLAs participated in farmers’ rally taken out from the District Cooperative Central Bank to Janmabhoomi park where the meeting was held.

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