Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

Livelihood security for farmers and food security for all - Assures PM to Tikait

The Prime Minister received a delegation of the Bharatiya Kisan Union and the Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movement led by Shri Mahendra Singh Tikait. Receiving their memorandum, the Prime Minister said that the welfare of the farmers was the top most priority for the UPA Government. He said that the government is committed to ensuring livelihood security for the farming community and food security for all.

The Prime Minister told the delegation that in the past three years the UPA government has ensured remunerative prices and has affected significant increase in the Minimum Support Price, reversing the neglect of the farming community and the policy of minimal increase in MSP under the previous NDA government.

The Prime Minister reiterated the government's commitment to offering insurance to farmers against risk and said that the government is considering a loan insurance scheme to mitigate risk for indebted farmers.

The Prime Minister also assured the farmer's delegation that the government is committed to increased investment in agricultural research so that the productivity of indigenous seeds and the productivity of land and water utilization can be increased. The Prime Minister also stated that the government will safeguard the interests of Indian farmers in the WTO negotiations and will not accept any obligations that will hurt our farmer's interests.

The Prime Minister assured the delegation that he will draw the attention of the Union Agriculture Minister to the various demands of the farmers.