SME Times News Bureau | 15 Mar, 2019
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said
that concerted efforts are required from every stakeholder to ensure that there
is no agrarian distress in the country.
He was addressing the gathering at an interactive
meet of farmers and scientists organised by Swarna Bharat Trust in association
with Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, in Swarna Bharat Trust, Atkur,
Vijayawada.
The Vice President said that the foremost need in
the country is to double the income of the farmers by making agriculture
resilient, sustainable and profitable.
“We need to introduce structural changes and both
the Centre and various States need to accord the highest priority to this
aspect”, he added.
Emphasizing upon the important role played
by infrastructure empowering the farmers, the Vice President said that
improving rural road connectivity, setting up more godowns, cold storage
facilities, ensuring assured water and electricity supply are some of the key
measures which have to be implemented.
Providing timely credit to farmers is equally
important, he added.
Naidu said that the farmers should also be
educated on the need to diversify crops and take up allied farm activities.
A study by MANAGE has revealed that there were no
suicides in the families of farmers, who took up allied activities, he pointed
out.
The Vice President said that the agriculture
sector needs a big push in India and in other parts of the world.
It is obvious that a concerted, coordinated
action is needed on a number of issues that impact the growth of agriculture
sector and the quality of life of people who depend primarily on this sector,
he said.
The Government, Private Sector, Agricultural
Universities, KVKs, Scientists and farmers must come together and address the
pressing issues of farmers, he added.
Naidu said that irrigation, infrastructure,
investment and insurance sectors need to be strengthened to support farmers. We
need a multi-pronged approach to address the complex interrelated issues in
current agriculture scenario, he added.