The Hindu Business Line : PM brings rains and hopes to Vidarbha

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PM brings rains and hopes to Vidarbha

Meena Menon

Dr Singh says fair price not being given for farmers' produce

THE PRIME MINISTER, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, listening to the farmers in Waifad village in Maharashtra on Friday. — Vivek Bendre

Waifad , June 30

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, brought some rain along with him, and raised the hopes of the people of Vidarbha with his assurances and concern. He told the farmers at Dhamangaon in Amravati district and Waifad village in Wardha district that his Government would definitely do something to resolve the agrarian crisis in the region.

Dr Singh is expected to announce a package for the people on Saturday after his visit to Koljheri village in Yavatmal, a district that has seen the highest number of farmers' suicides in Maharashtra. Speaking to farmers and families affected by the spate of suicides in the area in Waifad, Dr Singh said irrigation was inadequate in Vidarbha. He said he would talk with the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, and the Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, to prepare a scheme which would improve things in six districts of the region over the next three years.

`No immediate solution'

He agreed with the farmers that fair prices were not being given for their produce. He said that he had no immediate solution but would call the Commissioner of the Agriculture Costs and Prices Commission and find out how it could be resolved. He said his Government understands that India is an agrarian nation and it would be so for a while. He said that increasing production and linking jobs to agriculture would have to be done in the future.

Purpose of visit

Dr Singh told the farmers that his only reason for visiting the region was to get an understanding of the crisis here. He said he would talk to the Chief Minister about problems relating to irrigation, need for improving animal husbandry and livelihoods and horticulture. Both the State and the Centre will help in improving the situation and immediate necessities like ensuring the quality of seeds can be dealt with.

Safeguards in WTO

Responding to a representation that globalisation had harmed Indian farmers interests, Dr Singh said India had kept safeguards in the World Trade Organisation Treaty to protect farmers and it would even be possible to increase duties. He said it was difficult to keep away from the rest of the world.

Earlier, Dr Singh arrived at 11 a.m. at Nagpur, and came to Dhamangaon by helicopter. A slew of VIPs including Mr Pawar, the Union Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, Ms Margaret Alva, Mr Prithviraj Chauhan and others came to Dhamangaon. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, and Mr R. R. Patil were also present. Here also, Dr Singh met several affected families and gave similar assurances.

He further said that health related issues would also have to be addressed and the Centre and the State would have to work together to solve these problems. Dr Singh spent some time at Sewagram in Wardha before going to Waifad.

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