Spl package for Kerala in a month: Pawar

Kozhikode, Sep 13: The Centre would announce a special agricultural package for Kerala to mitigate the sufferings of debt-ridden farmers in the state, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today.

Talking to newspersons after concluding a three-day visit to various parts of the state to study the problems faced by the farmers, Mr Pawar said a tour report on the issues would be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration before the announcement.

The memorandum submitted by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on the issue would also be taken into account, he said.

Mr Pawar hoped that the cabinet would hold detailed discussion on the report as soon as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned from his foreign tour.

He said the fund for the package would be released by the Centre but the State Government should ensure implementations of the schemes in three years.

He said the government had appointed a committee to look into the indebtedness of the farmers in the country. The problems faced by farmers in the country, including Kerala would be studied and steps would be taken to harness their problems.

He said steps would be taken to provide ways of supplementary income to the farmers.

He said it was found that main irrigation projects in Kerala were incomplete and urged the government to take steps for its speedy completion aimed at increasing the agricultural production.

Underlining that plantation sector was very important in Kerala, he said a separate scheme would be worked out for farmers in this field.

He said the problems of farmers increased with unscrupulous money lenders, who charged 40 to 60 per cent interests from farmers.

On farmers suicides in the state, he said the phenomenon was not new and not prevalent in Kerala alone. Quoting study reports, he said 50 per cent of the total 50,000 sucides reported in the last ten years were farmers hailing from various parts of the country.

Earlier talking at Sulthan Bathery after receiving representations from the families of debt-ridden farmers, who have committed suicide in Wynad district, he said the Goverment would take steps to control the activities of private financial institutions.

UNI