Central schemes for farmers not implemented

Srinagar, Aug 25:The Communist Party of India (M) today alleged that central schemes for the uplift of farmers had not been implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

Raising the issue in the Assembly during Zero Hour, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Targami said Crops Insurance Scheme, introduced in the country, was not implemented in the state.

He said crops over thousands of hectares of land had been destroyed in the subsequent explosions in the 21 Field Ordance Depot fire at Khandroo in south Kashmir. They were also damaged because of flood and other natural calamities in the state, he added.

But the farmers could not avail themselves of any benefit from the insurance schemes as they were not implemented here, he said.

Mr Targami said the farmers play an important role in the overall financial development of the state.

In response to the members of the opposition party National Conference, he said it was the people from rural and far-flung areas who took part in elections. ''The issues of Babus you are raising in the house will not vote, but these people vote despite all odds,''he said.

Mr Targami said Credit Card Scheme (CCS) for farmers applicable in all other states of the country, was also not fully implemented in the state.

He alleged that under the central scheme, a farmer could get loan from any financial institution even without any guarantee. But here, banks asked for the same otherwise the loan applications were rejected, he added.

Mr Targami also informed the House that if any bank sanctioned loan to any farmer, it (banks) charged a very high rate of interest against the Centre's directive of four per cent only.

He alleged that the government had failed to give any attention to the problems of the farmers in the state.

UNI