The Statement of BJP National President
Shri Rajnath Singh on the report of the
National Commission on Farmers

BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh has demanded that the Government should seriously and urgently consider the report/recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) submitted to the government recently.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that during his tenure as Union Agriculture Minister in the NDA Government led by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a number of serious efforts were taken to the concern of farmers. The NDA Government had started the process of drastically reducing the rate of interests on agriculture loans and giving an idea of a fixed income for the farmers. The National Commission on Farmers was also formed in the same period on 10th Feb. 2004.

The National Commission on Farmers has now given its recommendations to the Government. The NCF has given some fruitful recommendations like the determination of price on the basis of market, an arrangement for a fix source of income to the farmers, a market intervention scheme, the rate of interest on agriculture loan to be brought down to 4%, establishing an agriculture risk fund & market stabilization fund and a knowledge power house for proper irrigation facilities and other knowledge based requirements of agriculture sector. This is required to contain the continuously declining investment in agriculture sector, which has touched a low of 1.5% of the budget.

The BJP National President further said that this report assumes great significance that it has recommended an end to the diversion of prime farmland for non-agricultural purposes such as the SEZs (Special Economic Zones).

Shri Singh called upon the UPA Government to circulate the report of the NCF to all political parties and convene an immediate meeting to consider the report and its implementation to avert the worsening agrarian crisis leading to farmers' suicide in various states of the country.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that there is an urgent need to liberate the farmers from the clutches of the moneylender and informal credit system flourishing in the rural India at the cost of the farmer's lives and dwindling food production. Mr. Singh said that the attitude of the government and test of its sincerity would depend on how quickly it reacts to the report of the National Commission on Farmers and sits together with all political parties to put a stop to deepening agrarian crisis in the country.

(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge