New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has faced Opposition flak over farmer's issues including on land bill, Saturday reached out to the community promising to initiate measures for their welfare as he addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day.
Modi, who is under constant attack from the Opposition for pursuing alleged "pro-corporate policies" and "ignoring the interests" of farmers on various issues chose the occasion to highlight his government's commitment to the welfare of farmers.
"My farmer brothers and sisters, there was a rain crisis last year. Adequate rainfall had not happened then. The country's economy was hurt due to it and farmers also had to suffer," he said.
Holding that farmers are as much important in the country as as the armed forces, the Prime Minister said that while it is important that our agriculture improves, equally important is focus on the welfare of those involved in agriculture.
"Talk of only agricultural development does not complete the rural life, the agricultural life. That will be completed only when it is supplemented by the welfare of farmers," he said announcing that the Ministry of Agriculture would be renamed as the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare henceforth.
"In future, plans for farmers' welfare will also be made on the same line as they are made for a agriculture. Government will try to provide help, under an institutional mechanism to farmers, who have to face crisis, problems in their personal life," he said.
Modi, however, made no mention in his 85-minute long speech, about the contentious land bill on which his government recently indicated its willingness to buy peace with the Opposition by withdrawing key amendments like removal of consent clause and social impact survey, it had brought through the Ordinance, which was promulgated thrice.
The Prime Minster's thrust on farmers welfare come in the backdrop of recent political controversies over the issue of farmers' suicide. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has also taken a padyatra in various states to highlight farmer issues seeking to put the government on the backfoot.
The Prime Minister also talked of the government's plan to provide irrigation facility to every farmer.
He said that his Government was focusing on raising farm productivity, and providing electricity and irrigation to farmers. He said the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana had been launched with an outlay of Rs. 50,000 crore.
Modi also assured farmers that the government would make sufficient availability of fertilisers.
Modi highlighted that the government has allowed 100 percent production of neem-coated urea to check diversion of this key nutrient to chemical industry and asked farmers to use only neem-coated urea.
He said the introduction of "neem-coated urea" has helped to end diversion of subsidised urea to non-agricultural purposes.
Modi said the government is reviving closed urea plants, including those in eastern parts of India.
That apart, a Soil Health Card scheme has been launched under which the Centre plans to target over 14 crore farmers in the next three years to check the excess use of fertilisers.
