Oppn misguiding farmers over Swaminathan panel report: CM Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today slammed the opposition parties for "misguiding" the farmers on Swaminathan Commission report, saying the BJP government had fulfilled most recommendations made by the panel. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the third Agri Leadership Summit-2018 in Rohtak, he accused his predecessor Bhupinder Singh Hooda of not implementing the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission report. "The opposition is trying to misguide the farmers on the issue of Swaminathan Commission report even as the state government has fulfilled maximum recommendations in the report," the chief minister said, adding, "Swaminathan himself is satisfied with the state government's efforts towards implementing the recommendations of the report." Expressing his government's commitment towards the welfare of farmers in the state, he said the main focus of the BJP-led government in Haryana was to raise income of farmers. "The focus of the government has been how to raise the income of farmers and their standard of living… we are working towards enhancing their income," the chief minister said. "Hooda was the chairman of the working group of chief ministers on agriculture production, but he did nothing for the implementation of Swaminathan Report, despite being the chief minister up to 2014 and in the Centre also the Congress was in power," Khattar said. Asking the progressive farmers to apprise small and marginal growers in their areas about the welfare schemes of the Centre and state governments, he said, "I want to appeal progressive farmers that they should make at least 10 small farmers in their areas aware about the government schemes which will help in raising their income. Each district has 50 to 200 progressive farmers and they earn Rs one lakh per month per acre." The Chief Minister said keeping in view the risk factor in agriculture, the state government has taken several steps, including implementing Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) and Bhavantar Bharpayi Yojna to cover the loss of crops. The Haryana Horticulture Department today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International Potato Centre on the first day of the three-day summit in presence of Khattar and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Parshottam Rupala. This initiative will help in selection of short-duration early heat tolerant virus resistant varieties of potato. Besides, it will also help in multiplication of clean, disease-free planting material and develop potato value chain and markets in India. PTI
