Centre to provide assistance to Hry govt for adequate canal

Union Minister Sanjeev Kumar Balyan today assured the Haryana government that the Centre will provide all assistance to it for ensuring adequate supply of canal water.
The Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation was addressing to farmers at the two-day 'Rabi Krishi Mela' in Haryana Agricultural University here.
Lauding the scientists of the university for their "outstanding work" in the field of foodgrain production, he said the research conducted by them had led to "significant quantitative enhancement in foodgrain production in the country".
He said it was unfortunate that the previous governments had not taken any step to "improve" the financial condition of the farmers and the university.

He urged Haryana Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister O P Dhankar to extend all possible assistance on behalf of the state government to improve the financial situation of the university and the farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhankar said farmers should not remain constrained to being merely producers, but also learn to market their produce.

Their financial condition would not improve until they are linked directly to the consumers, he said.
Dhankar said the Haryana government had set a target to increase the income of farmers to Rs one lakh per acre, and increase production of vegetables from 77,000 metric tonnes to two lakh metric tonnes.

He said while 30 per cent of the farmers in the state had opted for the new crop insurance scheme, the government would provide compensation of Rs 12,000 per acre to the uninsured farmers for losses due to crop damage caused by natural calamities.