Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy has asserted that the government has taken adequate care to ensure that the farmers’ coordination committees comprised of farmers who are engaged in agriculture and due representation had been given to all sections, including women, in these panels.
The Minister said the 15-member village level committee would have representation from all castes and communities of the respective village and the 24 member mandal committee would have representation from all villages with one-third reservation to women. These committees would take responsibility of coordinating with farmers at all stages right from sowing of the crop to realisation of remunerative prices for their produce.
The committees would play an active role in facilitating timely supply of seed and fertilisers to farmers and sensitise them to opt for crop colonies besides creating awareness about the latest technologies in use. He was responding to BJP member G. Kishan Reddy’s charges during the Question Hour that the appointment of the coordination committees was devoid of democratic spirit.
Participating in the debate on the issue, Mr. Kishan Reddy said the farmers’ committees were full of ruling party members and this gave scope for politics creeping into their functioning. He wanted the government to ensure that elections were conducted to the panels at least after the term of the present committees expired so that representation was given to all the deserving sections.
TRS member Chennamaneni Ramesh wanted the government to clearly define the role of the farmers’ committees in terms of food processing initiatives. Experience had shown that multinational companies which make foray into the area could purchase the lands and make farmers workers in their own fields. “MNCs definitely add value to the products, but there are instances where they purchased land from farmers,” he said.
The Minister said the food processing policy being evolved by the government would factor in local conditions in the promotion of the units. The BJP members, however, staged a walk out from the House after the Chair refused to give them opportunity to seek more clarifications on the issue.
