Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the agriculture sector, which accounts for about a fifth of the country?s $854-billion economy, was ?in crisis? in many parts of the nation. Farmer suicides caused by distress from lower farm output were a matter of concern, Singh told members of the Congress party in the course of day-long discussions here on Friday.
?It?s a matter of concern that our farmers should be compelled to resort to suicide. We should strengthen the process of development to make agriculture a viable proposition,? the Prime Minister said. The Congress-led UPA coalition government wants to double agriculture growth to 4% from the average 2% a year since 1995. More than three-fifths of India?s 1.1 billion people depend on farming for their livelihood.
Singh said finance minister P Chidambaram would be reviewing developmental projects and would be taking stock of the agriculture scenario at a meeting with Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. The Prime Minister said the government wanted to evolve a broad-based consensus to implement developmental programmes.
The Prime Minister also assured party members that the UPA government would complete its full term, saying ?In two years time, the Lok Sabha polls will be held. Congress should return to power with a thumping majority.? Singh also said that it is important to motivate partymen at the grassroots level to popularise the Congress.