Hyderabad, January 05: Ahead of his two day visit to Delhi from tomorrow, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had a detailed discussion on some key issues raised by the officials of the Finance and Agriculture departments, regarding the aid package for rainhit farmers, that should be taken up with the Central government.
He will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar and others concerned and seek a special package for farmers apart from additional funds to save farmers from distress. He will attend the allparty meeting on the Srikrishna Committee report on Jan 6.
Reddy plans to request the Prime Minister to treat the advance of Rs 400 crore sanctioned already as a special grant and release more funds to help farmers. “We have done our best for the farmers but it is not enough to overcome the situation. I will request the Centre for a special package for farmers. I hope they will understand the peculiar situation of our farmers and help them,” the chief minister said. The State government has adopted a multipronged strategy to help farmers through compensation, fresh crop loans, waiver of interest on loans, input subsidy, ensuring purchase of discoloured and damaged paddy, crop insurance and inclusion of tenant farmers. The collectors were asked to distribute input subsidy to all farmers before Sankranthi festival (Jan 15).
–Agencies