Karnataka   

White Paper sought on subsidy given to fertilizer companies

DAVANGERE: The Bharatiya Raitha Okkuta has demanded that the Union Government publish a White Paper on the amount given to fertilizer manufacturing companies as subsidy, the number of companies who had availed themselves of the subsidy and, of them, how many were eligible.

C. Narasimhappa, president of the okkuta, said that thousands of crores of rupees had been released to fertilizer companies as an incentive to maximize production and ensure supply of fertilizers to farmers on time. He alleged that there was foul play in the sanctioning of subsidy to the fertilizer companies and that he had information from official sources that a huge amount had been swindled. Hence, it was high time that the Union Government brought out a White Paper explaining the matter in detail, he added.Prof. Narasimhappa also alleged that the Congress-led Union Government had been promoting the fertilizer companies and had neglected to safeguard the interests of farmers.

Referring to the loan waiver scheme announced by the Centre, Prof. Narasimhappa said that the Union Government had put certain conditions including one that the farmer should have taken the loan after April 1, 1997. He said that lakhs of farmers from the State had taken loans prior to 1997 and they were deprived of the loan waiver due to this condition. He demanded that the cut-off date be pushed back to April 1, 1990.

Prof. Narasimhappa also said that loans taken for fencing, purchasing bullock carts, constructing farmhouses and other such activities would not be waived under the scheme. He said that this was unfair as these too were activities connected with farming. Mr. Narasimhappa said that the Union Government should emulate the Karunanidhi-led Government in Tamil Nadu, which had set up a fund to waive farm loans, and it provided the facility to all farmers without stipulating such conditions.

Lingaraju and Nagaraja Rao were among the leaders present.

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