Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy today said the TRS Government will extend helping hand to farmers besides focusing on productivity, and increasing the number of cattle in Telangana State
After holding a review meeting on Animal Husbandry department, the minister said the government will construct 537 Veterinary Hospital across the State and also will extend helping hand to farmers to increase cattle production. For this, the government will spend Rs 10 crores for modernizing Artificial Insemenination Center in Karimnagar and Rs 6 crore for setting up a new Semen Center in Mahbunagar district. He also said the government will encourage mini-sheep units to be given to widows.
Reacting to the media reports on farmers committing suicides against “loan waiver cap”, Pocharam said the Government was keen on looking into the matter and the farmers should not take extreme steps. “We will take a decision on loan waiver of farmers after a Cabinet meeting to be held on June 9, he said. Since the government has to get total information and data related to farm loans from the bankers, a decision will be taken. Referring to one year cap for farm loan waiver, he said though they have earlier stated that it may be considered from June 2013 to June 2014, the Chief Minister is inclined to take a positive decision in this regard. “No time frame is set as of now”, he said “We are trying to allay fears of the farmers”, Pocharam said, and appealed to the farmers to be content and brave.
Expressing concern over on farmers’ suicides, the minister urged political parties and people’s organizations not to take to streets for total loan waiver. This is not the time for politicizing the loan waiver issue, he said, adding that the government will take a decision to render justice to farmers. (NSS)
