Free 12-hour power to ryots

HYDERABAD: Creation of AP State Agricultural Development Authority, 12-hour free power to farmers during the day, a one-time debt relief on farm loans not waived in 2008 and setting up a Rs.1,000-crore price stabilisation fund are among the proposals in the Telugu Desam’s draft agriculture policy to be included in its manifesto.

Releasing the draft here on Sunday, party president N. Chandrababu Naidu said the authority, to be headed by the Chief Minister, would adopt a modern and holistic approach to render agriculture profitable by ensuring higher productivity at lesser cost. The MSP would be in accordance with the M. S. Swaminathan committee’s recommendations.

The authority would offer special incentives to promote agriculture-based industries in villages, set up cold storage chains to curb post-harvest losses. It would prepare soil health cards to increase productivity. Small and marginal farmers would be given interest-free loans up to Rs. 25,000. Big ryots would be given loans at three per cent interest. A tripartite agreement between private seed company, government and farmer would be revived.

The other initiatives include establishment of a State commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, providing insurance cover for motors used by farmers (the government will meet the cost of repairs and replacement), a 75 per cent subsidy on modern farm implements, abolition of MV Tax on tractors, trailers and harvesters and 90 per cent subsidy on drip irrigation.
SEZ law

Mr. Naidu said the irrigation cess would be abolished and Rs. 500-crore fund set up to provide compensation to farmers for losses suffered due to natural calamities. Crop insurance would be extended to all crops, besides launching a pension scheme. The SEZ law would be reviewed and lands taken forcibly from farmers would be returned to them. Terming coastal corridor project as a ‘fraud’, he said it would be abolished.