'Increase budget for agriculture by 24 pc'

Vijayawada: All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) National vice-president, Kolli Nageswara Rao, here on Thursday, demanded the State Government to increase the already allocated budget for agriculture by 24 per cent.

Speaking to media persons, Mr. Nageswara Rao said that the agriculture sector was pushed into major crisis with the introduction of economic reforms in 1990s. He said that several farmers across the country had committed suicide due to financial crisis and the input cost of agriculture had increased by several times.

"Minister for Agriculture Kanna Lakshminarayana has recently introduced a separate budget for agriculture in the Assembly. However, the Minister projected 24 per cent more funds for Jalayagnam and electricity as against the previous budget. We feel that the allocation of budget for Jalayagnam and electricity will not solve the problems of farming community and farmers cannot come out from the crisis. Hence, the State Government should increase the budget for agriculture by another 24 per cent," he said.

He further said that the allocation of Rs 98,940 crore for agriculture and allied sectors was not sufficient to help the farmers. He recalled that the Government had allocated Rs 15,013 crore in the 2012-13 budget, while the allocation was shown as Rs 13,804 crore in the 2013-14 budget.

The allocation of Rs 589.04 crore for the calamity relief to the farmers was an eyewash, he said. He further said that the crops were being damaged in one crore acres of land out of 3 crore acres due to cyclones and floods every year in the State. To meet the loss to the farmers on this account, the Government should allocate another Rs 4,000 crore exclusively for the compensation.

Mr. Nageswara Rao asked the State government to take up the Pranahita-Chevella project with the Central government and try for getting a national project status to it. He also wanted the Government to lobby with the Central Government to get additional funds for relief from calamities and thus help the farmers in the State.

Krishna District Rythu Sangham General Secretary M Yalamanda Rao was also present at the news conference.