Samba, July 24: Former minister and J&K Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vice President Surjeet Singh Slathia on Wednesday lauded the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “pro-farmer” policies and “prioritising” the enhancement of their livelihoods through “comprehensive and sustainable initiatives” during the past over a decade.
Addressing Kissan Morcha Samelan at Village Naaran Ghagwal in Samba, Slathia enumerated some of these initiatives, like increased MSP for major crops, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and crucial measures like market reforms and farmer empowerment.
He said the BJP is committed to holistic agriculture development with a focus on giving a fillip to this vital sector, not only for enhancing productivity but also to ameliorate the economy of the major chunk of the population, directly or indirectly involved with agriculture.
“The BJP’s policies focus on improving agriculture productivity, ensuring food security and uplifting the socio-economic status of farmers. The forward-looking measures have yielded discernible results on the ground,” he added.
Slathia lauded the hard toil of farmers in boosting the agricultural economy across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, saying this is being acknowledged by the nation with a sense of pride.
“Multi-pronged strategies are underway to enhance the economic conditions of peasants and under this flagship scheme, financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year is being provided to small and marginal farmers,” he said, adding, “So far, over 11 crore farmers have benefited from this scheme, ensuring a steady income to support their agricultural activities.”
The BJP leader expressed hope that the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir, as elsewhere in the country, will benefit from the schemes currently under vogue. He exhorted the party Karyakartas to reach out to the farmers and aware them of the schemes initiated by the government for their welfare.
Responding to the issues flagged by the farmers during the Sammelan, Slathia said these will be taken up at appropriate forums for early redressal.
