Planning Commission to allot Rs 6,000cr package to farmers

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) A Rs 6,000 crore relief package to prevent farmers from committing suicide is in the offing from the Planning Commission.

The Ministry of Planning was giving final touches to state-wise allocations to provide relief to farmers which would be announced immediately after the forthcoming meeting of National Development Council scheduled for December 9 this year under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister of State for Planning M V Rajasekharan said here today.

The Prime Minister and the entire UPA government is concerned over the plight of farmers and particularly those who have committed suicide and the allocation would shortly be made and subsidies restored to farmers in order to put a curb on such happenings, he added.

Mr Rajasekharan said the government would also be expediting the process of setting up one lakh E-Choppals all over the country in consultation with all state governments to integrate farmers with information and communication technologies to increase their produce.

Likewise, the Centre would also issue necessary instructions to promote and integrate sericulture with agriculture so that India's increased dependence on sericulture imports is curtailed to the optimum.

In this connection, the Planning Commission would issue directives to Central Silk Board so that necessary subsidies are given to promote sericulture in the country, Mr Rajasekharan said.

It would be the effort of the government that agriculture receives the maximum focus and attention of policy makers during the 11th plan period to ensure that it grows at the minimum rate of four per cent and all farmers become an integral part of food processing industries and also have stakes in it, the minister said.

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