Raipur, Nov 1 (UNI) Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will definitely consider his request to reconsider three new agricultural laws and strengthen the mandi system.
Mr Gandhi, while addressing the programme organised on 20th Foundation Day of Chhattisgarh on Sunday through video conferencing, said that farmers are upset today as their interests have been neglected. Referring to three new agricultural bills passed in the agriculture sector by the central government, he said that Krishi Upaj Mandis and minimum support price play an important role in agriculture and these are needed to protect the interests of the farmers. According to him there may be some drawbacks in any system but it does not mean that this system should be destroyed; rather steps should be taken to improve it.
Ever since Mandis were scrapped in Bihar in 2006 condition of farmers in the state continued to worsen, he said. 'We are fighting against these three agricultural laws of the central government. These laws of the Centre have been opposed in Punjab and Chhattisgarh. We have urged the Prime Minister to reconsider these three agricultural laws and strengthen the mandi system', Mr Gandhi said.
The senior Congress leader said that the plight of farmers was a known fact. 'There are reports of suicide by farmers. We must protect the farmers and labourers, and stand with them. Village is the foundation of a city and farmers and labourers are the foundation of the village. If farmers and labourers are weak, then the whole country will become weak. Protecting farmers and labourers means protecting the country as well as strengthening the foundation of the country and brightening the future', he said.
At this critical juncture when the entire country is facing crisis due Covid-19 pandemic those who are weak are suffering from hardship, he said. Admiring Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana and Swami Atmanand English Medium School and Chief Minister Slum Health Scheme launched by the Chhattisgarh government for the betterment of farmers, labourers and the poor he said that these three schemes of the Chhattisgarh government would strengthen and protect the foundation.
Third installment of Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana was transferred to the account of 19 lakh farmers of the state in virtual presence of Mr Gandhi on the occasion of State Foundation Day today. Mobile Hospital-cum-Laboratory was also launched in 30 urban slum areas of the state under Swami Atmanand English Medium School Scheme and Chief Minister Urban Slum Health Scheme in presence of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Dr Charan Das Mahant and ministers at Rajyotsav programme.
Chief Minister Mr Bhupesh Baghel greeted people of the state and extended best wishes to them on 21st Foundation Day. 'We feel delighted to have overcome backwardness and unbalanced development rate. We have been successful in working according to the spirit of the founders of Chhattisgarh and sentiment of people of the state. During 22 months of our tenure so far we have implemented several schemes for betterment and upliftment of the poor, farmers, deprived section, scheduled castes and backward', he said.
Describing central agriculture laws as ‘anti-farmer’ he said that his government took concrete measures to stop injustice to the farmers of Chhattisgarh. With amendment in Mandi Act farmers of Chhattisgarh will not suffer any loss. He said that his government also took important steps towards the state's infrastructure and industrial development. ‘We have signed 25 MoUs for establishment of industries while 22 new MoUs have been proposed’, he said and added that this will lead to a capital investment of about Rs 20 thousand crore in the state and about 36 thousand people will get employment.
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