By IANS
New Delhi : With rural livelihood and low farm growth remaining a matter for concern, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday promised a Rs.250-billion programme for agriculture and said it would be his government’s main area of focus in the coming years.
“Our growing economy and population need more food grains,” the prime minister said in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort where the focus of his speech was on social sector, with special emphasis on agriculture.
“I am confident as we roll out our ambitious agricultural development programme, we will see a boost in food grain production in all parts of the country, particularly in regions untouched by the first green revolution,” he said.
“Farmers are the backbone of our nation. Unless they prosper, the nation cannot prosper. I reassure our farmers that their welfare lies at the core of all our concerns.”
Manmohan Singh said the ambitious programme, with a focus drought-prone areas, will enhance the livelihood of Indian farmers and increase food production, adding he would personally tour a few states to review the situation.
“The transformation of rural India that we seek, and the progress we seek, are not possible unless we increase the productivity of our farms and the income of our farmers,” the prime minister said.
At the same time he also acknowledged that given the large chunk of population that is dependent on farming and the small size of farmland, there was a limit to how much income agriculture alone could generate.
“India cannot be a nation with islands of high growth and vast areas untouched by development, where benefits of growth accrue only to a few. This is good neither for our society nor for our polity.
“It is essential we create new employment opportunities outside of agriculture. Remember, there is no developed country today anywhere in the world, that is not an industrial economy. Industrialization is critical for progress.”
He said industrialization was the most effective means of employment generation, which in turn was the best weapon against poverty. Yet, he said, the transition from agrarian society to an industrial economy has been difficult.
“I agree it is the responsibility of government to ensure that displacement does not lead to impoverishment, that those who lose land do not lose livelihoods and that those who have lost employment get better opportunities.
“We are, therefore, giving final shape to a national policy for rehabilitation and resettlement for all those displaced by major projects. It is our societal obligation.”