YSR explains steps taken to bring down farmers' suicides to PM

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) Apprising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the measures taken by the Andhra Pradesh Government to help the farmers in distress, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said that measures taken by his government had brought down the number of suicides to 50 a week during 2003-04 to 1,261 in two years time.

Submitting a Rs 69,222 crore special package proposal the A P Government intended to launch with the assistance of the Centre on the lines of the package announced for the farmers in Vidarbha region of Mahrashtra, Dr Reddy said based on the data on suicides, the state government had identified 16 of the 23 districts in the state for implementing special package for ameliorating the hardship of the farmers.

He said a Cabinet Sub-committee had been constituted to recommend measures to prevent suicides besides ordering a Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired judge. Helplines had been established to build confidence among the farmers while a Cell to monitor cases of suicides had been made operational. An ex-gratia of Rs 100,000 to the family of deceased and Rs 50,000 to liquidate the farm debt was being offered to the farmers. The PM's relief fund provided Rs 50,000 for each affected family. He also met Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

Two years of moratorium on institutional credit and a moratorium of six months for lending on private money lenders had been started by the A P Government. Steps were initiated to supply quality seeds, promoting organic manures, supply of micro-nutrient, gypsum were being supplied carrying a subsidy ranging from 50 to 75 per cent. Thse measures have certainly been helpful to the farmers, he claimed.

Asked if the special package A P was seeking was a bit too high, the CM said there was no harm in being liberal in seeking monetary assistance. "We are confident of receiving maximum possible help and assistance", Dr Reddy said.

Dr Reddy, who addressed investor community highlighting the positive aspects of investing in the state, considered as one of the better administered states of the country, said that senior General Electric officials who attended the meet were interested in providing medical equipment in government hospitals. They had also evinced interest in putting up water treatment plants capable of treating sewage and brackish waters.

During his talks with Republic of Germany Ambassador Bernd Muezel Burg he discussed several issues including locating Volkswagen plant in A P. Asked if he was hopeful of getting Volkswagen unit, he said "let us see. There seems to be internal problems within VW and the company was also making attempts to extract more concessions from other states." He said the Kakinada-Vishakhapatnam Corridor would see phenomenal growth in the next two years because of the huge find of gas reserves by Reliance, GSFC and ONGC. In the 14 Special Economic Zones to boost industrial activities, the Pharmacity, the industrial park for pharmaceutical industries was a boon for the pharma industries because the infrastructure itself will eliminate the need for individual company to seek environmental clearance licences.

Asked about his meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he said it centred around general political situation in the state.

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