Picture : Twitter / ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to his constituency Varanasi dedicated a six-lane widening project on NH-19 to nation. He also made a reference to the farmers’ protest in Delhi: “Infrastructure development in Uttar Pradesh has improved since Yogi Adityanath has become the Chief Minister.
“Today work is underway on development of 12 airports in the state. When connectivity in a region improves it also benefits the farmers there. Recently, a fund of Rs 1 lakh crores was constituted to establish cold storage facilities for farmers & other agriculture infrastructure.
“With establishing of a perishable cargo center in Varanasi, now farmers here have got a facility to store and sell their produce easily. Due to this storage capacity, for the first time, the produce of farmers here is being exported in large quantities.
“For the first time, produce of Varanasi farmers is being exported to foreign countries at a large scale. Varanasi’s Langda and Dussehri mangoes are spreading their fragrance in London & middle-east… Mango farmers need not go to other cities for packaging now.
“New agricultural reforms have given farmers new options and legal protection. Earlier, loan waiver packages used to be announced but the benefits of such schemes never used to reach the farmers.
“Farmers are being empowered by giving them options for a bigger market. Reforms are being done in the interest of farmers, which will give them more options. Shouldn’t a farmer get freedom to sell his produce directly to those who give them better prices & facilitities?
“The promise of giving 1.5 times more MSP to farmers as per Swaminathan Commission was fulfilled. This promise was not only fulfilled on paper, but has reached the bank account of the farmers.
“There’s new trend now, earlier decisions of govt were opposed, now rumours have become basis for opposition. Propaganda is spread that although decision is right, it can lead to other consequences, about things that haven’t happened or will never happen. Same is with farm laws. The new agricultural laws have been brought in for benefit of the farmers. We will see and experience benefits of these new laws in the coming days.”
