Date:21/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092102471900.htm

Back Ryots' welfare panel chief favours slabs for free power

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Sept. 20

THE Chairperson of the Commission for Farmers' Welfare, set up by the Andhra Pradesh Government to look into the Agrarian crisis and the suicide of farmers, Ms Jayati Ghosh, has favoured a slab system for extending free power supply.

This approach, perhaps replicating the West Bengal model, could ensure that small farmers got the intended benefit, she told newspersons, even while terming the AP Government free power policy as "Not good economics."

Ms Ghosh hastened to add that the State Government's offer of free power perhaps should be seen in the context of a short-term measure. The Commission chaired by her would submit an interim report in the stipulated two months' time given to it. The Commission would study all aspects of the agrarian crisis that has pushed farmers in the State to despair and suicide.

Some of the important issues include credit policy, big variation in input costs and output prices, land reforms etc., she said.

Though AP reported the highest number of suicides, farmers in several states faced similar difficult times. Hence, there is a need to work towards a national policy on the issue, Ms Jayati Ghosh, of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) said, after participating in the first meeting of the Commission, which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Monday.

The Commission will also study the land reforms in AP. It would visit Anantapur on Tuesday and later Warangal.