The much-touted mann ki baat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was received with enthusiasm by farmers on Sunday who posed their doubts before him.
Several cooperators, associated with farms and kisans welcomed Modi directly communicating with the neglected sections of population.
The newly re-elected President of National Cooperative Union Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav who is on a tour of Karnataka and Gujarat said on phone” we indeed welcome Prime Minister’s initiative but would like that what he preaches is followed up in acts. India is predominantly a farmers’ country and they have been a pathetic lot for ages.”
NCUI President said that only if we strengthen the cooperative movement meaningfully much of farmers’ woes would vanish. On this occasion he reminded the Prime Minister of need to withdraw income tax ,service tax and other restrictions threatening the movement.
Yadav a Rajya Sabha member, had also batted for farmers strongly in a recent parliamentary debate. Elaborating on the plight of farmers in villages Yadav said farmers are worse off than the Manrega labour.
Dr U S Awasthi, a great votary of farmers’ cause and CEO of the largest farmers’ cooperative was appreciative of PM’s statement on soil health. He retweeted Modi statement in which the Prime Minister talks of soil health card and efforts to increase the produce through enriching the nutrients of soil.
IFFCO and Awasthi have an abiding interest in preserving the health of soil and Awasthi himself has been touring remote areas explaining the perils of excessive use of chemical fertilizers.
Mr RS Sodhi, the MD of largest dairy cooperative Amul was also happy at PM’s initiative and promised a detailed reaction once he goes through the speech.
Overwhelmed by the response his programme has received Modi said at the start of his talk “ I had not expected that I would receive so many questions for this programme.”
Modi said the country was ruled under laws that were introduced by the British. We have been ruled under these laws for over 60 years. It was only during the implementation of the new law we understood that there were problems.
However his mann ki baat was not without political overtones. He said under the previous government, farmers would have received compensation not a bit more than what they got under the old law. The compensation is fixed now.
Often, people get worked up over rumours ‘this is going to happen’ or ‘that is going to happen’. We are a ‘jai jawan, jai kisan’ party, he reminded the listeners.
The Prime Minister assured whenever there is a project, we will acquire only the land that is needed. Acquisition of farm lands for projects will be made only as a last resort.
Elaborating further he said even now we are ready to amend the bill. We will make changes if the parties in opposition so desire.
