AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

NT Bureau
Chennai, Jan 22:

        The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has come out with some innovative suggestions for farm sector in the wake of Tamilnadu government placing before people through its website the approach paper for the 11th Plan (2007-2012) for public discussion.

        It may be noted that the paper had made certain alarming revelations about agriculture which pointed that the share of agriculture in the State GDP which amounted to 25 per cent in 93-94 has come down to 13.3 per cent in 2005-06 while food grains produced during the year 2001-02 was 76.89 lakh tons as against 61.40 lakh tons in 2004-05. Of the total farm lands, the net Cultivable lands formed part at 42.8 per cent during 1977-80 while the same has dwindled down to 37.05 per cent in 2001-04.

        In this scenario, the SJM has suggested for the government to stop forthwith the grant of land and water resources to foreign companies besides total ban on the import of food grains and use of Genetically Modified seeds (GM/BT seeds). And there should be no allotment of farm lands should be made in the name of industrial development, SEZ or semi-urban city.

        Farmers should be granted loan facilities at the interest rate of 2-3 per cent and organic farming should be promoted discouraging the use of fertilizers and pesticides. The speculative online trading of agricultural products should be banned.