Thiruvananthapuram: After several years of wait, the state government is launching farmers’ welfare board. The previous UDF government had formed a seven-member subcommittee comprising of Chittur MLA K. Krishnankutty as its chairman and former agriculture director R. Haley, as member for the draft agricultural development policy and their main recommendation was the welfare board. This is the first time in the country a welfare board, which is apolitical, is being formed exclusively for farmers and a Bill for the same will be moved in the next Assembly session.
The subcommittee had come out with a draft agriculture development policy during 2013, and Rs 25 lakh was earmarked in the successive budgets. But since the Bill delayed, the allocation got lapsed. Finally, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan took the initiative, and the draft went to the finance minister Thomas Issac and from there to the law department.
“As agriculture development and farmer welfare are inseparably linked, the farmer welfare fund board is necessary” Mr Haley told DC. “It is crucial to attracting the younger generation to farming. The National Commission on Farmers suggested such a board restricting benefits to those whose primary income is from agriculture.”
He points out that the Philippine Coconut Authority is under the President's office and he is responsible for developing coconut and other palm oil industry. The veteran agriculture expert feels further detailed talks should be held as it should be an apolitical entity focussing on food safety and security. Agriculture experts have urged the government not to see farmers welfare board and the farmers welfare department differently as both are interlinked.
