The Hindu Business Line : Pawar promises `exclusive' farm package for Kerala

While framing the package, due emphasis would be given to the aspects of debt relief, watershed development, irrigation, horticulture, rainwater harvesting and animal husbandry.

THE UNION MINISTER for Food and Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, with the Chief Minister, Mr V. S. Achuthanandan, and the State Agriculture Minister, Mr Mullakkara Ratnakaran, during discussions on the State's agricultural crisis in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. - S. Gopakumar

Thiruvananthapuram , Sept. 10

The Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, has promised an `exclusive' farm package for the State, given the complexity of problems that its agriculture sector is confronted with.

But he refused to give a timeframe for announcing the package. The State Government has demanded an additional Rs 2,300 crore in debt relief apart from the Rs 3,412 crore sought earlier

SPECIFIC CASE

Kerala presents a specific case that needed to be viewed in isolation from those of other States, the Union Minister told newspersons after a high-level meeting here on Sunday. He had met with the Chief Minister, Mr V. S. Achuthanandan, and the Agriculture Minister, Mr Mullakkara Ratnakaran, among others.

The problems are entirely different from those encountered in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Maharashtra, all of which are facing a severe agrarian crisis. Mr Pawar said that the State Government had lately requested that two more districts - Idukki and Alappuzha - may also be considered for coverage under the special package. The original request had mentioned the cases of Kasaragod, Palakkad and Wayanad only.

CENTRE AWARE

The Centre was aware of the frequent incidence of natural calamities and the problems being faced by marginal and sub-marginal farmers of the State. While framing the package, due emphasis would be given to the aspects of debt relief, watershed development, irrigation, horticulture, rainwater harvesting and animal husbandry.

The Union Minister is scheduled to travel to Alappuzha, Palakkad, Idukki and Wayanad districts for an on the spot assessment. Once done with this, he has called for another round of comprehensive talks with officials prior to announcing a concrete package for the State.

Earlier in the day, the Union Minister arrived here for a three-day visit to the State in response to persistent demand for a Vidarbha-model package to deal with the crisis in the farm sector.

Among those who took part in the talks with Mr Pawar are Mr C. Divakaran, State Civil Supplies Minister; Mr K.P. Rajendran, Revenue Minister; Mr N.K. Premachandran, Water Resources Minister; Mr P. K. Gurudasan, Labour Minister; Dr Thomas Isaac, Finance Minister; and Mr S. Sarma, Fisheries Minister.

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