PM's 'Vidharba package' not beneficial for farmers: AIKS

Vijayawada, July 24 (UNI) The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) today said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement of 'Vidharba' package would be of no help in stopping suicide by indefted farmers.

Addressing a press conference here, AIKS Vice-President Kolli Nageswara Rao said the Prime Minister's assurance was the same as the former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's speech at the Chief Ministers meeting in 2001.

The farmers were committing suicide as they depended on money lenders who charge huge interests, he said adding the farmers were expecting some remedy from the government. However, the leaders were of the view point that if the reforms of World Bank and World Trade Organisation (WTO) were implemented expeditiously, the crisis would be resolved.

He reminded that the package announced by Manmohan Singh to Vidarbha was only a 'temporary measure' .

After ushering reforms in 1991, the agriculture subsidies have been reduced and consequently, from 1997 farmers started committing suicides, he claimed.

He said in the Vidarbha package, there was no proposal to waive the loans of the farmers.

Mr Rao urged the Centre to enhance the agricultural subsidies and provide seeds on subsidy to those peasants who were sowing.

The crop insurance scheme was not useful to the farmers and should be amended, he claimed.

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