Date:21/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092108920400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Health scheme for farmers soon

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 20. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Monday said a health insurance scheme for farmers is being worked out to see that the huge expenditure on health they often incur, does not add to their debt burden.

Inaugurating the first meeting of the Commission on Farmers Welfare, Dr. Reddy said one of the several reasons found for the farmers' suicide is the huge debts they run into by paying up medical bills. The Government would launch the scheme shortly.

Report expected

He expressed the hope that the Commission, which is expected to submit its report in two months, would come out with tangible solutions. The inaugural session was attended by seven Ministers, Commission members and special invitees and representatives of farmers' organisations and NGOs.

Dr. Reddy said the relief package now being extended to the next of the kin of those committing suicide were temporary measures and the Government is looking at a long-term strategy to improve the overall position of agriculture. The Agriculture Technology Mission constituted would develop agriculture in a holistic manner focussing on improving efficiency.

His Government has come up with the ambitious target of bringing 65 lakh acres into cultivation by completing pending projects in five years, besides stabilising 35 lakh acres under the "much harassed" Krishna river system. The enormity of the programme could be gauged from the fact that in the last 150 years, only 70 lakh acres could be brought under irrigation.

Gross neglect

Dr. Reddy said the previous Government had not paid any attention to either irrigation or agriculture. The gross capital formation in agriculture was a meagre Rs. 1200 crores for the whole of last decade. Inadequate extension led to stagnated farm productivity levels and eroded incomes.

Well-known agriculture scientist, M. S. Swaminathan, said the Commission called for efforts to push farmers welfare to the top of the political agenda and for bringing about a synergy of science, knowledge, farmer and public policy.