The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘Implement schemes for farmers effectively'

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Thursday, May 26, 2011
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Karnataka

‘Implement schemes for farmers effectively'

Staff Correspondent

Set up committee to change crop insurance policy: sangha

Chitradurga: The Karnataka chapter of the Rashtriya Krishi Sangha has accused the State Government of not effectively implementing schemes launched to curb farmer suicides in the State.

In a press release here on Wednesday, the sangha said the Government had introduced several schemes such as subsidies on farming equipment and seeds for small and marginal farmers and providing low interest loans. However, the absence of proper monitoring by the Government had resulted in ineffective implementation of the projects. Caste politics in identifying beneficiaries and undue political interference in general had added to poor implementation, the sangha said.

According to Government statistics, between 2004 and 2011, a total of 2,603 farmers committed suicide in the State. But, in reality, around 5,800 farmers had ended their lives as they could not cope with the increasing input costs and sharp decline in profits, they claimed.

Several farmers were still debt-ridden, with no prospects of a better future. The reason for all this was poor implementation of the projects, which were framed to help distressed farmers, they said.

Other reasons have also contributed to the woes of the farmers, the release said. They included unfair evaluation of minimum support price, delay in offering loans to the farmers, and unfriendly methods of giving crop insurance.

The release said that in order to provide better solutions to the problems of farmers, the Government must keep a strong vigil over implementation of the project and bring in necessary changes.

They demanded a minimum support price of Rs. 2,500 for a quintal for sugarcane, Rs. 1,500 for a quintal for maize, Rs. 3,600 for a quintal for groundnut and Rs. 3,800 for a quintal for toor dal.

The sangha also demanded that the Government set up a committee of experts to bring about significant changes in the crop insurance policy.

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