MP: Diggy for promoting organic farming

Bhopal, Mar 31: Congress General Secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh suggested promoting organic farming instead of traditional farming for improving the condition of villagers.

He was participating in a panel discussion on 'Madhya Pradesh's Economic Development: Opportunities and Challenges' organised at the National Law Institute University here yesterday.

Mr Singh said development of the Solid Waste Management System would resolve the problems of power and manure for farmers.

Besides, setting up of food-processing units would open up new employment opportunities.

He advocated for public participation and decentralisation of power for economic development. He said public must be handed over the responsibility for implementing policies.

Referring to widening gap between urban and rural areas due to economic liberalisation, the Congress leader said the benefit of the GDP had remained confined to a few people.

He alleged that some industrialists misused exemptions provided to them depriving people of benefits.

Mr Singh lamented that no system could be developed for implementing policies to remove poverty under various governments in the past 56 years due to lack of interest on the part of people's representatives.

He stressed the need for developing infrastructure in power, road, health and education sectors besides developing a mechanism for recharging ground water level for expanding irrigation facilities.

Calling increase in judicial intervention in the past two decades inappropriate, he said Parliament was the most important representative body in democracy.

Rejecting charges of corruption against political leaders, Mr Singh said he had been charged with corruption amounting to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore. However, no one had been able to prove it.

He said bureaucrats and judicial employees must also declare their assets like political leaders in order to curb corruption.

Finance Minister Raghavji and Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Sompal Shastri also took part in the discussion.

UNI