Squarely blaming the UPA government for the ongoing agrarian crisis in the country, the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Thursday made a strong pitch for a "farmer centric development model" instead of the "western model of development." Stepping up attack the BJP in its resolution on agriculture passed at the two day national executive meet here alleged that the UPA government's inability to respond quickly and adequately against the challenges posed by the current crisis has put livelihoods of farmers in jeopardy. Therefore, the party suggested that country needs an economic model based on equitable growth which does not create huge income disparities.
BJP's former president Rajnath Singh, who moved the resolution and seconded by the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Chouhan and Karnataka chief minister Sadanand Gowda, told reporters that there was an urgent need to review the existing policy of farm loan disbursement and an investigation should be conducted to fin out whether or not. these farm loans were diverted to real estate sector. "The BJP demands that the Government should extend subsidied crop loans facility to purchase of farm equipment in addition to crop related inputs like seeds. This would help the farmers to reduce their labour costs which presently accounts for nearly 25% of total costs," Singh said.
Further, BJP in its resolution criticised the government's proposal to reduce subsidy on P & K fertilizers under its nutrient based subsidypolicy regime. Singh argued that the government should not withdraw its subsidies given to agriculture sector in the name of fiscal prudence. The party had demanded that the fertiliser subsidies should be directly paid to the farmers and a follow up action should be taken at the earliest. Moreover, subsidy on organic farming be provided.
On problem of debt and drought prevailing in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Bundelkhand, Singh alleged that the Congress led UPA government's callous attitude towards large scale farmers' suicide remindedof the insensitive British rule. "The BJP demands that the government should not turn ablind eye to the problems facing the farmers and other living in rural areas. The government should immediately announce a National Drought relief Package for these drought affected regions," he noted.
On land acquisition, Singh said the party in its resolution has observed that displacing farmers and forceful acquisition of fertile land by the government has created widespread anger and outrage among the farmers' community. The party executive welcomed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development's suggestion that no fertile land should be acquired in the name of development. The party called for a farmer friendly land acquisition.