State Govt Committed to Welfare of Farmers: Chouhan

Bhopal  —  Addressing the ‘Kisan Manch’ in the state capital Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Wednesday said that the state government is committed to the welfare of farmers and making agriculture a profitable occupation, which he termed as a top priority for his government.

Chouhan said that the state government has decided to provide loan to the farmers at the rate of three percent interest for agricultural works so as to achieve the objective of making agriculture a profitable occupation.

He said Madhya Pradesh was the first state of the country to provide agricultural loans at such a low interest rate.

He said that the State Government would provide bonus at the rate of Rs.100 per quintal to the farmers on support price of wheat during the forthcoming Rabi season.

He recounted the steps initiated to promote establishment of agro-based small scale industries on priority basis besides reducing the production cost and ensuring reasonable price to farmers for their produce.

The Chief Minister further clarified that his government was committed to protection of agricultural land and declared that industrialization would not be promoted at the cost of agricultural land.

He stressed that as far as possible only the non-agricultural land would either be acquired or allotted for establishment of industries and execution of works pertaining to public interest.

In other important announcement, Chouhan said that construction of house by the farmers on their agricultural land either for personal use or use of their family would be exempted from diversion fee.

He said that, if required, suitable amendments would be made in the existing revenue code for the purpose.

At the meeting, Chouhan directed officials to extend the state government pilot project to provide ownership documents to farmers for their houses across the state.
He said that this work should be carried out at the earliest so that the farmers are free from their worries getting ownership documents of their houses and they could use these papers for obtaining loan and in other necessary business.

Chouhan also said that the Government would seriously consider the other suggestions put forth at the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Energy, SPS Parihar said that an action plan is being formulated to supply electricity from six to eight hours to farmers for Rabi crops in the next one month.

State Agriculture Minister Ramkrishna Kusmaria and a battery of senior officials were present on the occasion.