Mayawati dispells apprehensions about new agriculture policy

Lucknow, Aug 9 (UNI) Taking a serious exception to the suggestion that Uttar Pradesh government has issued new agriculture policy in the wake of Ambani family feud, Chief Minister Mayawati today said the policy was aimed at benefiting the farmers only.

Dismissing all the reports that the UP goverment's 'Agriculture Infrastructure and Investment Policy' announced on August 3, she said it was not designed for any particular business house.

''Our government is committed towards improving the state farmers and to search for any ulterior motive behind this should be construed as 'misleading' and 'false propoganda' against the Bahujan Samaj Party-led government,'' Ms Mayawati told the reporters here this evening.

Making a categorical statement, she said BSP had nothing to do with the family business feud (between Ambani brothers). ''Other parties like BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party may have to do with business houses but BSP never takes money from those to contest elections,''she said.

She sought to make it clear amid the opposition that some political parties were trying to incite the farmers against the new policy. The CM said the policy would not compel the farmers for the Contract Farming. Instead, it would be voluntary and alternative arrangement for them, she suggested.

Ms Mayawati charged the middlemen and some vested forces who were trying to exploit the farmers to create confusion over the new policy which is aimed at the upliftment of the farmers in the state.

'' The new contract system would be effective for sale/purchase of the agricultural produce only and the farmers would be free to sell/purchase their produce in the open market'', she said.

The CM claimed that so far the farmers were compelled to sell their produce in the mandi through the middlemen who exploited them to the hilt, but the new policy would provide a huge market free of middlemen and the elements trying to exploit them.

''Now the farmers who were forced to sell their quick decaying products like vegetables, fruits at a throw away price and who could not get even the cost price of their produce would be benefitted by the new policy'', she further added.

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