Govt committed to ensuring livelihood security for farming community: PM

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said that the UPA Government is committed to ensure livelihood security for the farming community and food security for all.

New Delhi, Sept 12 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said that the UPA Government is committed to ensure livelihood security for the farming community and food security for all.

Prime Minister assured this to a delegation of Bharatiya Kisan Union and the Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movement led by Mahendra Singh Tikait, who submitted a memorandum to Singh.

Singh reiterated government's commitment to offer insurance to farmers against risk and said a loan insurance scheme to mitigate risk for indebted farmers is under consideration.

Receiving their memorandum, Singh said the welfare of the farmers was the top most priority for the UPA Government.

In the past three years the UPA government has ensured remunerative prices and has affected significant increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP), reversing the neglect of the farming community and the policy of minimal increase in MSP under the previous NDA government, he said.

He further said 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 utilisation can be increased.

Singh said that the government will safeguard the interests of Indian farmers in the WTO negotiations and will not accept any obligations that will hurt farmers' interests.

Singh assured the delegation that he would draw the attention of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to the demands of the farmers.

ANI