Date:10/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/10/stories/2008091050300100.htm

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Debt waiver documents given away to ryots

A Correspondent

V.S. Achuthanandan: Low food production poses a threat to State.

Kalpetta: Keeping paddy fields barren, planting other crops on them and filling of cultivated land are the major threats facing the State, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here on Tuesday.

Mr. Achuthanandan was disbursing the documents pertaining to debt waiver to farmers in the district.

He said that for reviving paddy fields, the government had implemented a comprehensive package, including interest-free loans and support price for rice, for farmers. It had planned to implement a pension scheme also. The farmers should utilise these facilities and increase the production of rice.

He said paddy cultivation was shrinking alarmingly in the State which was unable to produce even one-fifth of the total requirement of rice. The deficit in the production of milk, egg, fruits and vegetables remained a threat to the State. At present, the total paddy-cultivated land in the State measured 2.6 lakh hectares as against 9 lakh hectares 50 years ago. Though the land area had decreased by around 14,000 hectares, the production of rice had increased after the Left Democratic Front government came to power. Within one year, the productivity had increased from 2,285 kg to 2,435 kg a hectare.

He said the State government was the first to initiate a debt waiver scheme and had appointed a Debt Relief Commission. When the government was trying to waive the debts, the Union government announced its scheme. To avoid duplication, the State government took time to declare its scheme. Under it, Rs.14.11 crore had been allotted to the cooperative banks in the district, the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Achuthanandan disbursed the documents to 10 farmers at the function.

In his presidential address, Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran said that by utilising the potential of Wayanad, Palakkad and Idukki, the State could achieve self-sufficiency in vegetables. That paddy cultivation was increasing in Wayanad was a good sign, the Minister added.