Centre ready with final draft of National Policy for Farmers

Lucknow, Sep 26 (UNI) The Centre has drafted a comprehensive National Policy for Farmers (NPF), aimed at sustainable development of agriculture and optimising its contribution to the development of economy, besides emancipating the lives of farmers.

The final draft of NPF has been prepared by the National Commission on Farmers (NCF), Union Ministry of Agriculture.

The final draft of NPF will be presented to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on October 4, at New Delhi.

Later, the draft would be referred to Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, NCF Member Prof R B Singh told UNI here today.

He said the recent spate of suicide by farmers in the country had been given due consideration in the NPF.

''We have analysed the reasons behind the farmers' suicide and suggested ways to prevent such incidents in future,'' Prof Singh added.

The Commission is also likely to recommend the constitution of similar farmers' commission in every state to look after the issue of agriculture and well-being of marginal and poor farmers.

''Access to cheap and institutional credit in rural areas figures prominently in the final draft of the Policy,'' Prof Singh informed.

The NCF was constituted in 2004, to review the status of agriculture and assess the condition of farmers in various regions.

The Commission was mandated to identify factors responsible for imbalances and suggest steps to achieve sustainable and equitable agricultural development.

The NCF was asked to recommend policies for accelerated and diversified agricultural development to alleviate rural poverty and impart viability to farming as a remunerative profession.

Prof Singh said the Commission has also examined issues of existing price and marketing policies facing Indian farmers in face of changes taking place in the national and international economic and trade environment.

The NCF member was here this afternoon as chief guest at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, as part of the CSIR Foundation Day Celebration.

Earlier, he delivered a lecture on 'Towards an Ever Green Revolution', in which he dwelled at length on the malady facing the agriculture sector and steps to address the situation.

''UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi has already said agriculture should be the focus of 11th Five Year Plan,'' Prof Singh said.

The recently-concluded conference of the Congress Chief Ministers in Nainital gave due emphasis to agricultural sector, following stagnant growth in various farm produce and farmers' suicide.

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