Cong chiefs from 4 states seek farmers' package from PM

New Delhi, Aug 31 (UNI) Congress chiefs from four States, including Maharashtra, today urged Prime Minister Manomohan Singh to ensure proper monitoring of the economic package granted to them to prevent farmers from committing suicide.

The four PCC Presidents, who met the Prime Minister,told him that whatever economic assistance was provided to the districts worst affected by the farmers suicide should be made public in details and it should be effectively monitored.

AICC General Secretaries Margaret Alva and Digvijay Singh were present during the meeting.

The Prime Minister, during his Vidarbha tour, had announced a special package for 31 districts of these four states, Sixteen districts of these are in Andhra Pradesh, six each in Karnataka and Maharashtra and three in Kerala.

Mrs Alva later told mediapersons that the Prime Minister assured to have the economic assistance for four states monitored by Minister of State attached to the PMO Prithvi Raj Chauhan.

PCC President from Maharashtra Prabha Rao told the Prime Minister that the assistance had not reached the needy farmers in Maharashtra as yet. She pointed out that only Rs 900 crores were going to the pocket of farmers after payment of debt redemption and irrigation but even this amount had not reached them.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President M Mallikarjuna Kharge said the party had requested inclusion of six more districts to the existing list of eligibles for availing the package announced for helping the farmers' suicide. The party also stressed on the need to monitor the funds disbursed by the Centre.

Andhra Pradesh Congress chief K Keshava Rao said the party had reminded the PM about the need to give a special package to backward regions of Telangana region, besides package for agriculture sector. .

The PM on his part told the APCC chief that it would not be possible to make any fresh inclusions to the list of already identified districts.

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