Friday, September 9, 2016

Balyan's assurance on adequate supply of canal water

CHANDIGARH, SEPT 9
Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, has, on  behalf of the Central Government, assured to provide all possible assistance to Haryana Government for ensuring adequate supply of canal water.
        The Union Minister was addressing farmers at the two-day ‘Rabi Krishi Mela’ being organised at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU), Hisar, today.
        Lauding the scientists of the university for their outstanding work in the field of foodgrain production, the Union Minister said that the research conducted by these scientists had led to significant quantitative enhancement in foodgrain production in the country.
        He said that it was unfortunate that the previous governments had not taken any step  to improve the financial situation of the farmers and the university. He also urged Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Mr. O.P. Dhankar, to extend all possible assistance on behalf of the State Government to improve the financial situation of the university and the farmers in the State.
        Speaking on the occasion, Mr. O.P. Dhankar said that farmers should not remain constrained to being merely producers, but should also learn to market their produce. Their financial condition would not improve until they are linked directly to the consumers, he added.
        He said that the Haryana Government had set a target to increase the income of farmers to Rs one lakh per acre, and increase production of vegetables from 77,000 metric tonnes (MT) to two lakh MT. He said that while 30 per cent of the farmers in the State had opted for the new crop insurance scheme, the Government would provide compensation of Rs 12,000 per acre to the uninsured farmers for losses due to crop damage caused by natural calamities.
        While criticizing the former Chief Ministers Mr O.P.Chautala and Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, he said that   some leaders had been claiming to be ‘sons of farmers’ or having the best interests of farmers at heart for the last 15 years yet compensation of only Rs 15 crore had been released to the farmers during their regimes. However, the present State Government had disbursed about Rs 2,200 crore as compensation to the farmers since it came into power less than two years ago. With a view to prevent accidents and damage to crops, stray animals were rounded up and Rs 50 lakh each made available to all Deputy Commissioners in the State for the purpose, he added.
        Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Dr. Kamal Gupta also spoke on this occasion. During the Mela, progressive farmers from different districts were felicitated, and Mr. O.P. Dhankar announced to give Rs 21,000 from his discretionary fund to progressive farmer Kamlesh Nain for carrying out online marketing of his produce. A booklet namely ‘Pashudhan Gyan’ was also released on this occasion.
----balbirsingh227@gmail.com

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