Panaji, June 23 .
Alleging that false promises of BJP government is not auguring well for the Agriculture area, Congress on Friday demanded white paper on fallow land and crop production of the state.
GPCC General Secretary Moreno Rebelo along with other leaders gheraoed the agriculture director over nonpayment of subsidy and support price to farmers and demanded to increase the assistance.
Congress leader Viriato Fernades, Everson Vales, Muktamala Fondekar, Vishal Volvoikar, John Nazareth and others were present.
Moreno Rebelo said that when the government announces schemes, farmers expect that they should get benefit of it, however they are not getting support from the agriculture department.
“Our farmers are Goans. They expect support from the government. However, the government has failed to give subsidies and support prices to them,” he said.
According to him, the Agriculture department should increase support price on paddy and coconut and subsidy to purchase machinery.
“It is unfair that the government has delayed payment,” he said.
Everson Vales said that the government should declare the details of crop production and fallow land. “I demand that the government should release white paper on crop production and fallow land. We want to know whether fallow land is coming under cultivation, when the government is boasting of doing activities in this area,” he said.
Viriato Fernandes said that the government has hatched a conspiracy to sell the agricultural land to outsiders, by discouraging farmers.
“Government is trying to strangle farmers by delaying their assistance,” he said.
He said that the inflation rate is high, however the government is giving doit to farmers through the means of subsidy. “Ministers sit in the five star hotels, how would they get the reality of the agriculture field without coming on field,” he questioned.
He said that it is foolish to urge youths to venture into agriculture without providing them any facilities. “Actually government is trying to make us dependent on neighboring states, so they get commission from agents while procuring vegetables and fruits,” he said.
He said that ‘Swayampurn Goem’ will not come in reality if the BJP government keeps its insensitive approach towards farmers.