Raman for cut in cost of production in Agriculture

     Janjgir, February 24, 2009: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh today stressed for drastic cut in cost of production in agriculture sector in the state to improve the condition of the farmers.

     To change the fortune of the farmers and to bring in prosperity in their life attempts should be made to reduce the cost of production in the farm sector, Singh told a Kisan Mahotsav in the district headquarters here today.

     Stating that the Chhattisgarh government is serious towards reducing the cost of production, he said three major steps had been taken in the recent past by the state in that direction.

     Since majority of the farmers were getting into the debt trap due to high percentage of interest on agriculture loan, the state had decided to reduce that from 15 per cent to three per cent, the Chief Minister said.

     A sizeable portion of the land have also been depending on pump irrigation and it has been decided to give benefit to two lakh farmers by providing them free electricity up to five horse power pumps, which would also reduce the cost of production, he said.

     Similarly the prices of the agriculture produces have been increased and the farmers have been provided a bonus of Rs 270 per quintal of paddy by the state besides procurement on minimum support price, Singh said.

    Since over 80 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture in Chhattisgarh, the state government was serious towards their problems, the Chief Minister said.