PM urges states to implement schemes for farmers
29 Feb 2016 11:46 PM GMT
Pitching for converting farmers’ challenges into opporunities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged all states to give priority to implementation of the “roadmap” for boosting the agriculture sector with a target of doubling the income of farmers by 2022.
Addressing a farmers’ rally here, he sought to hardsell the recently-launched Crop Insurance scheme, which he termed as a “protective shield”, and talked about various other initiatives including plans to launch e-platform for marketing of agriculture products in April as part of efforts to ensure welfare of the farming community.
“Today, there are several challenges before the farmers...Is there no solution to these challenges? These can be converted into opportunities if you (farmers) help me and states implement the various schemes properly,” Modi said.
Noting that the subject of agriculture is with states, he said “the states where some work has been done in the farming sector have witnessed progress. But in the states having the approach of ‘chalta hai’ (let it happen) and ‘election time pe dekh lenge’ (will see at the time of elections), the fate of the farmers has been left to the God. After God, there is nobody to help them.”
Underlining the vision of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, the 75th independence of the country, Modi said, “From this land of Uttar Pradesh, I urge all the states to give priority to agriculture and then see the changes. The roadmap is there, you only have to implement it.”
He said “there is no criticisim” of any state and “there is no need for it” but he only wants to “urge” them with the promise that “the Centre is ready to work shoulder-to-shoulder” with them in the implementation of schemes.
He said agriculture should be made employment-oriented to make it attractive to the new generation cultivators as he noted that agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors were the backbone of the country’s economy. .
Talking about problems being faced by farmers, the Prime Minister said “filling their pockets with money” will not suffice and the need is to strengthen their capabilities.
Without make any political comment, Modi referred to the backward Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and said it was shameful that this belt was parched in spite of five rivers criss-crossing it.
Modi remembers famous Bareilly ‘jhumka’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday referred to the lilting song ‘Jhumka Gira Rey’ from Hindi movie ‘Mera Saaya’ to strike an instant chord with the crowd assembled at Kisan Kalyan Rally here.
The song immortalised by veteran Bollywood actress Sadhana in her feisty dance performance in the 1966 Sunil Dutt starrer was quoted by Modi as he began addressing the gathering here.
“I had never been here in the past. But I have definitely heard ‘Jhumka gira rey’,” he said, citing amid applause the song, “Jhumka Gira Re, Bareli Ke Bazaar Mein” sung by Asha Bhosle.
Modi said he had also heard of ‘Bareilly-wala surma’ (kohl manufactured in Bareilly).
“I am told it gives the user a new vision,” he said amid raptures from the crowd. The Prime Minister perhaps recalled another Asha Bhosle song “Surma bareilly waala, ankhiyon mein aisa daala”, in film Kismat.
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