UP rated best performing state in foodgrain output

The primary sector of the state has performed better than the national average, thanks to the massive availability of good quality seeds, replenishment of soil nutrients, inducting new farm technologies and improved agri marketing measures.

The award comes at the right time. With elections looming in the shadows, it is perhaps time for Mayawati to give credit to the 22.5 farming community and say it was an achievement by 22.5 million farmers? families. Stating that her government had implemented schemes to double the income of farmers, which were showing results, with UP wresting the top spot in food grain production from states like Haryana and Punjab, Mayawati said this is, in fact, a victory of the farmers. All this, while the Centre has been adopting a partisan attitude towards UP, she has alleged. In her barb, she noted the Centre should release pending dues pertaining to R50/quintal bonus paid to wheat farmers and R1,200 crore of food grain procurement.

Ten states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, have been selected for agriculture awards for their performance in the foodgrain production.

Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are the joint winners of the award in the category of states with overall foodgrain production of more than 10 million tonne recorded in the last five years.

Maintaining her pro-farmers? stance, Mayawati said in her opinion, the development of the state is not possible without the prosperity of the farmers and therefore, she has given top-most priority to the agricultural sector and welfare of farmers during every regime of BSP government. That is also the reason why she had organised the historic ??Kisan Panchayat?? in Lucknow in June to thrash out a direct dialogue with the community over land acquisition issues. The panchayat has led to the implementation of a ??progressive?? land acquisition policy, in which the role of the state government was restricted to that of a facilitator, while private developers were to negotiate with the farmers directly.

In fact, in a letter written to the PM, Mayawati has requesting the Centre to implement UP?s progressive new land acquisition policy in projects that are to be undertaken in the state by central departments and undertakings, including Railways, National Highways Authority of India, GAIL India Ltd., National Thermal Power Corporation, etc.

Talking about UP?s performance, an official of the agriculture department said the despite the decline in total land for cultivation owing to urbanisation, the stress now is on the optimal use of land. ?Almost 92% farmers in UP have less than 10 bighas of land. Since land holdings are small, mechanised farming is not possible due to the cost benefit ratio and operations, too, are not profitable in themselves. That is the reason why land, per se, is not a very profitable venture. To make it profitable for the farmers, the cropping intensity has been increased, coupled with the government?s subsidy component on hybrid seeds and bio fertilisers, under the Rashtriya Kisan Vikas Yojna. That is the chief reason behind the enhanced agricultural output of the state this year,? he avers.