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New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated six-lane widening project of Varanasi – Prayagraj section of NH-19 on November 30, 2020, in Varanasi, UP..
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said we are now seeing the outcome of the work of connectivity along with the beautification of Kashi done in the past. He remarked that our farmers would benefit greatly when modern connectivity expands in the area. He said over the years, efforts have been made to create infrastructure like cold storage along with modern roads in the villages. A fund of 1 lakh crore rupees has also been created for this.
The Prime Minister said black rice was introduced 2 years ago in Chandauli, UP, to increase the income of the farmers. Last year, a farmer committee was formed and around 400 farmers were given this rice to grow in the Kharif season. While normal rice sells for Rs 35-40 a kg, this black rice was sold for up to Rs 300 a kg. For the first time, this rice has been exported to Australia, that too at the rate of around Rs. 800 per kg, the Pm said, according to a PIB release.
The PM said that the new agricultural reforms have given farmers new options and new legal protection and at the same time the old system also continues if someone chooses to stay with that. He said earlier, transactions outside the mandi were illegal but now the small farmer can take legal action on the transactions outside the mandi also.
The Prime Minister said Governments make policies, laws and regulations. Criticising the opposition, he said earlier the decisions of the government were opposed but now the criticism is based on mere apprehensions. He said confusion is spread in society about what has not happened yet, which will never happen.
Continuing on the duplicity in the past, the Prime Minister said MSP was declared, but a very meagre MSP purchase used to take place. Large loan waiver packages were announced in the name of farmers, but they did not reach the small and marginal farmers.
The Prime Minister said when history has been full of deception, then two things are natural. The first is that there is decades of history behind the farmers being apprehensive about the promises of governments. Secondly, it has become a compulsion for those who break the promises, to spread the lie that what used to take place before, is still going to happen.
He said when you see the track record of this government, the truth will come out automatically. He said the Government delivered on the promise of stopping the black marketing of urea and giving enough urea to the farmers. He said the Government delivered on the promise of fixing MSP at 1.5 times the cost in line with the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission.
The Prime Minister said in the five years before 2014, pulses of around Rs 6.5 crore were procured from the farmer. But in the subsequent 5 years, pulses worth about Rs 49,000 crore were procured, that is, about 75 times increase. In the 5 years prior to 2014, paddy worth Rs 2 lakh crore were purchased. But in the subsequent 5 years, we have passed Rs 5 lakh crore MSP of paddy to the farmers. He added in the 5 years before 2014, farmers got around Rs 1.5 lakh crore on the purchase of wheat. In the subsequent 5 years, wheat farmers have got Rs 3 lakh crore i.e. around 2 times. He asked why the Government would spend so much if the mandis and the MSP were to be dismantled.
Lashing out at the opposition, the Prime Minister said, these are the people who used to raise questions about PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, spreading the rumor that this money is being given in view of the elections and after the election the same money will have to be given back with interest. He added that in a state, where there is opposition government, due to its political interest, farmers are not allowed to take advantage of this scheme.
The Prime Minister said decades of deceit make farmers apprehensive but now there is no deceit, work is being done with intentions as pure as Gangajal.