RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan.12: Former agriculture minister and Sarath legislator Randhir Singh has alleged the Jharkhand government of being ‘anti-farmer.’ He said that the UPA government of the state so far could spent 38.64 percent of its budgetary allocation of Rs 3,584 crore for agriculture, animal husbandry and co-operative department.
Singh was addressing media persons in a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Harmu. He exposed the non-performance of the government in the agricultural sector before saying that the agriculture minister Badal Patralekh keeps on roaming like nomads as he does not have any control on his department.
Presenting the data, former minister Singh said the government neither could spend its budget nor utilize the central budget for the benefit of the farmers.
“Loan of seven out of 11 lakh loan defaulting farmers is yet to be waived while disbursement of Rs 5,000 per farmer under Mukhyamantri Krishi Ashirvad Yojna was stopped scrapping the scheme to save farmers from burden of loan. Names of 4 lakh farmers were struck from the list of beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Samman Yojna under which the union government used to give Rs 6,000 to farmers every year in three equal installments in a gap of four months,” Singh said.
“Out of Rs 25 crore allotted for providing seeds to farmers on 50 percent subsidy, only Rs 3.21 crore could be spent. Out of Rs 210 crore allocated for renovation of ponds, not a single penny could be spent. Out of Rs 150 crore allocated for Jal Nidhi Yojna under which farmers had to get money for construction of small ponds for irrigation and fishery, not a single penny could be spent,” Singh said.
Singh said the earlier state government used to give 90 percent subsidy for purchase of agricultural equipment but the present government reduced the subsidy to 50 percent. “Reducing the subsidy, the government allocated Rs 72 crore for the same but so far not a single farmer could have benefited from it,” he added.
The former minister went on saying that during one year the government failed to spend any amount to convert Jharkhand to an organic state, promote research in the field of agriculture, increase fish and milk production. As far as procurement of paddy is concerned, Singh said, it is poor. He said farmers have to run from pillar to post to get a second installment for their paddy price.
Singh said the government failed to find anyone to benefit him under its CM Pashu Dhan Yojna though an amount of Rs 47.07 crore has been allocated for the same. He pointed out corruption saying an amount of Rs 50 crore allotted for Jharkhand Rajya Fasal Rahat Yojna Anudan is lying in co-operative bank as policy has not been formulated for its use.
