PM to announce new agriculture policy shortly

Hyderabad, Oct 26 (UNI) The Centre will announce a new agriculture policy within a couple of weeks to pull of the farm sector from crisis and end continuing suicide by farmers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy here today.

Talking to newspersons after the Prime Minister left for New Delhi, attending three programmes including a public meeting in the State, the Chief Minister said Dr Singh concurred with the opinions expressed by him that measures taken so far, including the special package for farmers in suicide-prone districts were insufficient and assured him that a new agriculture policy would be formulated within a few weeks.

Earlier speaking at a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for the four-lane of the stretch of Nagpur-Hyderabad and Hyderabad-Bangalore section on North-South Corridor at Kothakota in Mahbubnagar district, he expressed confidence that the country would be able to step up the growth rate to ten per cent in the near future.

Poverty, illiteracy and unemployment would be eradicated from the country in ten to 20 years time, he added.

Earlier, addressing the 58th batch of IPS probationers after inspecting the passingout parade at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy, he exhorted states to adopt new modes of cooperation, using best technologies and management skills to tackle internal security threats.

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