Doubling of farm income not in sight, says Congress leader Siddaramaiah
Belagavi (K'taka), Dec 28: The Opposition Leader in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday Siddaramaiah (Congress) took a dig at the ruling BJP in the State and the Centre by saying that the farm crisis continues while the promised doubling of income for the farmers has not seen the light of day.
During a discussion in the State Assembly, the former chief minister said only some of the rich were getting richer while the rest were not, let alone the common man.
He said most people were giving up farming as it was no longer profitable. This was despite 50 per cent of employment generated across the country was in the agricultural sector.
He claimed that the organised workers in the sector in the State were 1.89 crore in number, while 43 lakh were in the unorganised sector.
The total number of workers in the segment was 2.32 crore. The total population dependent on farming was 5.25 crore, he claimed.
The former chief minister rued that fragmentation of agricultural land has led to reduction in income. Apart from this, the spending required to save crops has made it less profitable.
He claimed that the United Progressive Alliance government led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had waived off Rs 78,000 crore farm loans but the current government at the Centre waived them off only for big industries and that sum was to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crore.
Siddaramaiah alleged there was a decline in the daily milk production in Karnataka owing to diseases afflicting livestock.
To this, the Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan said the government was aware of the challenge and gave an assurance that vaccination of cattle would be completed by January 15. Siddaramaiah demanded that sugarcane growers, too, must get a share of earnings from ethanol produced by sugar factories.
"You could not double the farm income. Farmers are in trouble. Prices are spiralling, be it fertiliser, petrol, diesel or cooking gas. The Prime Minister had said Achchhe Din Ayenge' (Good days will come). We don't see that," said Siddaramaiah said.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
