The Hindu Business Line : AP mulls Act to regulate quality of seeds to farmers

THE Andhra Pradesh Government, if possible, would come out with a State Seed Act to regulate the quality of seeds supplied to farmers. It would examine the legal aspects in this regard, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has said.

The suggestion for having a separate Seed Act came from Members of Parliament at a meeting held here, he said. He had convened the meeting of the MPs, belonging to Andhra Pradesh, for asking them to project the issues of the State in Parliament and pursue with the Centre to accord clearance for the proposed irrigation projects.

Dr Reddy said he had also appealed to the Centre to ensure that insurance cover was provided to farmers if the bore wells drilled by them, at places certified by the Groundwater Department, failed.

He emphasised the need for effective implementation of Water, Land and Tree Act to prevent overexploitation of groundwater.

The Chief Minister, who had a meeting with the World Bank's India Representative, Mr Michael Carter, said that though the World Bank was unhappy with the State Government's policy of supplying free power to the agricultural sector, it was not averse to funding other projects such as urban poverty alleviation. "In fact, they are positive with regard to funding as the State's revenue and fiscal deficit is less," he said.

On whether the World Bank had imposed fresh conditions for funding the State's projects, he said, "No condition affecting public interests will be accepted."

Dr Reddy said matters pertaining to the establishment of an international airport in Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Technology at Basar in Nizamabad district, laying of railway lines in the State and introduction of new trains were discussed in detail at the MPs meeting.

With regard to a sudden change in the admission procedure by the Birla Institute of Technological Sciences (BITS), located at Pilani in Rajasthan, he asked the MPs to take up the issue with Union Ministers concerned as it affected the careers of several students belonging to the State.

More Stories on : Agricultural Policy | Seeds | Andhra Pradesh

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