New Delhi, August 08: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said there was drought in 141 districts in the country and that people must be prepared for a further rise in the prices of essential commodities as there was a shortfall of six million hectares in the area under paddy crop this kharif owing to deficient southwest monsoon. This is the first time that the government has admitted to drought, price rise and specific shortfall in kharif sowing operations.
Addressing a meeting of State Chief Secretaries here on drought and price rise, the Prime Minister assured them of central government’s full support regarding additional assistance for tackling drought. He asked States to quickly send to the Centre detailed memorandum for assistance under the Calamity Relief Fund or the National Calamity Contingency Fund.
No State has so far sent its memorandum seeking central assistance. Funds to enhance food production under for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and Food Security Mission were also lying utilised by some state, he bemoaned.
Mr. Singh said monsoon had been delayed or been deficient in many places, though some parts had received normal or excess rainfall. Agricultural operations had been adversely affected in several parts of the country causing distress to farmers and their families.
Observing that “in no case should we allow citizens to go hungry’’, he said if need be the government would take strong measures and intervene in the market. “We are helped by the fact that there were adequate food stocks owing to record production and procurement of foodgrains in 2007-08 and 2008-09.’’
Seeking better coordination between the Centre and States for effective implementation of the Public Distribution System and action against hoarders and blackmarketeers, he said, “We expect State governments to intervene in procurement. This would, in addition, reduce the cost of procurement, storage, freight and distribution and ensure availability of foodgrains to people.’’
The Prime Minister empahasised upon the chief secretaries of drought affected states to immediately bring into operation contingency plan for crops, drinking water, fodder, human and animal health and keep a close watch on the availability of foodgrains and prices of essential commodities.
Stressing the need to act “promptly, collectively and effectively’’, Mr. Singh urged States to immediately commence relief operations. The potential offered by the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme should be fully utilized and the availability of seeds, fodder and cattle requirement should be closely monitored. Wherever appropriate, cattle camps should be organised.
Mr. Singh advised states to go in for an “area specific strategy’’ wherein the production of traditional crops like paddy could be maximised in areas that received good rainfall, and areas with scanty rainfall could look for alternate crops.
At the same time, planning for rabi should be done to compensate for kharif losses. As the country was deficit in pulses and oilseeds, the Prime Minister saw this as a good opportunity for diversification to pulses and oilseeds.
More than 125 senior bureaucrats of States and Union Territories and union ministries are attending the crucial meeting convened by Union Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekar.
The daylong meeting is expected to evolve an Action Plan to meet the crisis from deficient rainfall that has hit crop sowing in important rice-growing states. The worse affected are Bihar, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Assam.
It is feared that the shortfall in sowing may have a far-reaching implication for farm economy and overall GDP growth.
–Agencies