NE NEWS SERVICE
PUDUCHERRY, JAN 27
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Wednesday appealed to the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to adopt the ”Puducherry model” of welfare schemes for farmers so that ryots across the country would not resort to agitations.
26-01-2021 | Speech at Tractor Rally in support of Farmers protesting at #Delhi . #Puducherry#FarmersProtest#FarmersTractorRally#FarmersRally pic.twitter.com/pJ8x4f32J7
— V.Narayanasamy (@VNarayanasami) January 26, 2021
“If farmers are given fair and remunerative price for their produce and extended subsidies as is being done in Puducherry, there would be no necessity for the farmers to go on agitations as was seen now in the country’s capital,” Narayanasamy said.
He said he would only urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt the welfare measures for farmers now in force in the Union Territory of Puducherry which would protect farmers and they would not resort to agitations. His comments come against the backdrop of the over two-month long agitation by farmers on Delhi’s borders against the three contentious farm laws and a day after violence broke out in the national capital during the tractor parade.
Felicitating dairy farmers and members of all women self-help groups at Lingareddipalayam village near here, the chief minister said Puducherry administration provides subsidies ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 per acre of paddy, sugarcane, banana and cotton raised by farmers.
Self-help groups are also sanctioned bank loans and part of interest for the loans is borne by the government. Puducherry government also provides free power supply to all categories of farmers- whether small or big, he said.
The chief minister said the premium component of the crop insurance scheme, introduced by the Puducherry government for all categories of farmers, has been paid by the government.
“Farmers do not have any liability and farming operations are encouraged without farmers facing hardships,” he said.
Paddy procurement by FCI would also be done shortly, he said, adding that 30,000 tons of paddy would be procured soon by FCI.
A team of officials of the Corporation would be on a visit to Puducherry to arrange for the procurement. Self-help groups are being encouraged to rear goats, milch animals and also raise fodder which brought the members good income and generate job opportunities, the chief minister said.
