NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Singh on Friday told the upper house the National Front government was positively inclined to treat agriculture as an industry in a phased manner.
Singh, who concurrently holds the agriculture portfolio following the dropping of Devi Lal, told VM Jadhav, Cong (1), that the government was inclined to give maximum benefits to the agriculturists in view of its economic importance.
Singh said the government had the twin programme to help the marginal farmers—reaching them the benefits of the public distribution system and Organising a warehousing scheme.
Singh said pressure was being mounted on the edible oil stockists through raids and credit squeeze and by imposing ceiling to prevent hoarding.
On the implementation of the Bhanu Pratap Singh committee report, the prime minister said restrictions on movement of agriculture produce was under consideration of the government.
The minister of state for agriculture Nitish Kumar said the report of the Bhanu Pratap Singh committee which was submitted on July 31, was under consideration, of the government.
He said that government had a market intervention scheme for edible oils and would ensure that the interests of both producers and consumers were protected.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 31, 1990
