March 27, 2012
Burdwan gets the magic touch of Maa, Mati, Manush
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a number of schemes for the farmers of Burdwan in a programme, in Burdwan Police Line Grounds, organised by the State Government, to hand over pattas and documents to farmers under the own-your-home scheme.
She announced launching of a kisan credit card scheme, under which farmers would be able to take loans up to Rs 50,000, apart from enjoying facilities to ensure preservation of their unsold crops. “Farmers will be insured against failure and destruction of their crops,” she said, adding that Rs 200 crore would be earmarked for this fund.
The Chief Minister said the Government had also set aside Rs 75 crore to help purchase tilling implements, and appealed to farmers not to fall into the traps of money-lenders.
Ms. Mamata Banerjee declared that 341 kisan mandis (special markets for farmers) would be constructed in as many blocks “to ensure farmers do not have to roam about with their produce and get a proper place to sell their produce at the right price. They are also saved from being fleeced by middlemen.”
Ms. Banerjee announced annual Krishi Ratna awards to encourage agriculture.
Ms. Banerjee said, “Our Government procured about 20 lakh tonne of rice from farmers. As the Government had capacity to store only 50,000 tonne, we had to take godowns on rent to store 3 lakh tonne.”
The Chief Minister also said the State would soon see a roads revolution as work had started to construct hundreds of kilometres connecting villages with district towns. The Government has also decided to upgrade and repair 20,000 village tanks.
