Farmers of Pudukottai district have welcomed the proposal in the Union Budget for starting the “uzhavar shandy” throughout the country to boost agricultural productivity. They have hailed the proposed exclusive television channel ‘Kissan TV’ for agriculture which will give a fillip to promote food production.
G.S. Dhanapathy, district chairman of the Farmers’ Federation of India, said the “uzhavar shandy and the kissan TV” would benefit farmers in a big way.
He was however sore that the budget did not focus much on linking of rivers. The allocation of Rs. 100 crore for taking up a survey and research for the linking of rivers was inadequate even to meet the recurring and non-recurring expenditure for buildings, rent, and salary bill.
He said the Centre should re-introduce insurance policy to benefit all the individual farmers. A monitoring committee should be constituted throughout the State for ensuring prompt disbursement of credit loans to farmers.
L. Kailasanathan, a progressive farmer and joint secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai, welcoming the proposed new urea policy. He said the Centre should ensure that the new venture did not lead to escalation in urea price. He welcomed the target of Rs. 8 lakh crore for farm credit and 3 per cent incentive for those who repaid the loan promptly. The announcement on two bank accounts in each household which would be eligible for credit would benefit farmers.