Agri task force to seek central bailout package

Nagpur: The Maharashtra government’s task force on agricultural distress has decided to seek a special central bailout package for dry land farmers of Vidarbha and Marathwada where rural distress is deep-rooted. The task force has been invited by the apex body Niti Aayog, formerly known as the Planning Commission of India, for its first-ever meeting to deal with issue in New Delhi on July 8.

NITI Aayog has convened an all-important meeting of agriculture commissioners from across the county on Saturday in New Delhi to deliberate on regulations on inputs and outputs and other issues concerning farmers.

The head of Maharashtra’s task force or agriculture distress, Kishore Tiwari, said the task force would seek a special central bailout package from the Nitin Aayog.

The meeting comes when farmers across the country are on the streets demanding higher prices for produce and relief from mounting debts. It all started with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking votes in Uttar Pradesh elections on the promise of farm loan waiver in that state.

Soon there was clamour from farmers in other states to follow suit and as a result Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka and Haryana were forced to announce loan waiver.

“The waiver amounts of these states would add up to around Rs 1.10 lakh crore,” said Mr Tiwari. He would make a presentation before the NITI Aayog to show how Maharashtra was successfully pursuing the goal set by PM Narendra Modi to double farm incomes in next five years. “I am also seeking time to meet the PM and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley in this regard using the good offices of Union minister transport,” said Mr Tiwari.