“Gujarat’s hat trick in ‘White Revolutions’ in cotton, milk and salt”
“Farmers won’t have to bear losses in insurance policy for cotton” — Narendra Modi
Timely intervention by CM Shri Narendra Modi saves 4 four district central cooperatives of 4 districts from their licenses being cancelled by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Ahmedabad, Tuesday: Chief Minister Narendra Modi today described Gujarat’s record cotton production this season as a hat trick of sorts in ‘White Revolution’ in cotton, after that in milk and common salt.The production of raw cotton has almost trebled in the state from 22-lakh bales to 1.22-lakh bales during a short span. The area under the crop has increased from 16-lakh hectares to 30-lakh hectares. Thus Gujarat’s share in cotton production in the entire country reached 35 per cent.
Talking to farmers across the state on the occasion of Krishi Mahotsav-2012 through videoconferencing, he said that what Gujarat could not do during the previous century has done during the last ten years. Incidentally, Gujarat’s achievements have helped improve the entire country’s economy.
He said it is the same BT Cotton, which the Central Government had banned, has come in good stead of Gujarat’s cotton growers. About 85 per cent of cotton grown in the state is BT cotton type.
Mr. Modi said a bumper crop helps the nation earn foreign exchange, but the Central Government’s attitude to ban export on such occasions becomes intriguing. He said that farmers incurred a loss of Rs.14,000-crore due to the Central Government’s dilly-dallying in lifting ban on export.
He wished the Centre changed its ant-Gujarat stance the earlier the better and wondered why delaying .
The State Government has decided to introduce insurance scheme for cotton on the same lines as groundnut so that farmers need not bear the losses.
In another crucial development, timely intervention by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had saved four district central cooperatives of the four districts from their licences being cancelled by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Gujarat Government paid Rs.84-crore dues of the four such banks of Surendranagar, Kutch, Junagadh and Vadodara in nick of time, restoring the credit line open for lakhs of farmers of the districts.
A large number of farmers from Surendranagar, besides the leaders and members of the bank, today felicitated Mr. Modi at Gandhinagar for his timely intervention.
Chief Minister attributed Gujarat’s attaining yet another ‘white revolution’ in cotton with record bumper crop this season to the farmers. He said that Centre’s delay in lifting export ban on raw cotton affected cotton growers.
