Centre to come out with New Farm Policy on August 15

Bangalore, June 24: The Union government would come out with a new Farm Policy on August 15 next year to mark the 60th year of country's Independence, National Farmers Commission Chairman M S Swaminathan said today.

Stating that the new policy would be a broad based one, he said that the 20 month-old Commission, which is preparing the second draft policy, would submit its final report on October 2 this year. The present draft was the result of widespread consultations and field level visits during the past several months.

Dr Swaminathan said that he has recommended food grains like ragi, jowar, bajra be supplied besides usual grains through Public Distribution System (PDS) from this year.

Participating in an interaction session of the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) here, he said that there is a need for change in the mind set and for providing food grains with high fibre and calcium.

''Supply of food grains with nutrition should become a permanent feature for the welfare of farmers and their families,'' he added.

Dr Swaminathan urged the State Government to set up a state level Farmers Commission as states like Punjab, West Bengal and Rajasthan have already taken a lead in setting up such bodies.

Karnataka Minister for Agriculture Bandeppa Kashampur said that the State government has constituted five Sub-Committees on different aspects to study the draft policy and to suggest action plans for implementation of the recommendations made the NCF.

Mr Kashampur claimed that Karnataka was the first State to implement the recommendations of soil health card covering 9000 villages in the first year and providing farm loan at four per cent interest to promote agricultural growth.

UNI