1 Uncorrected/ Not for publication- 08.12.2009 SSS-AKG/11.00/1A ...

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168Uncorrected/ Not for publication- 08.12.2009rather than trying to put blame, should try to find out what are thecauses, what is the effect, and what are the remedies available. I wouldsubmit that if you look at the causes, one should not forget that therewas a failure of monsoon in West Bengal, U.P. and there was cycloneand floods in the southern parts of India. Today, you are talking aboutrising price of potatoes which has gone almost hundred per cent higher.But, we may not be aware that 40 per cent of the potatoes come fromWest Bengal, 30 per cent from U.P. and 30 per cent from the rest of thecountry. Because of failure of monsoon in West Bengal and U.P., thepotato crop has been affected. The tomato crop has been affectedbecause of the cyclone and floods in southern India. Under thosecircumstances, there are remedies which we can think about. The sameAgriculture Minister was proud to say last year that there was queuebefore him in his Office of people from other countries who wanted toimport rice from India. So, we had buffer stock in all respects. How isit that suddenly, the situation has worsened? What are the causes andwhat are the remedies which can be worked out? I think, what isnecessary is that we must have some provision for perishable goods fora buffer stock. We have got the Agriculture Produce Market Act. But,under this Act, the mandis are at a far distance. And, that is why,aartees come in the way and they pocket a large amount of money.There should be mandis or the collection centres near the farm housewhere the farmers can immediately bring the products and they can bekept in cold-storage for a longer period. If the buffer stock is created,this type of scarcity, which has arisen because of the failure of
169Uncorrected/ Not for publication- 08.12.2009monsoon, would not arise because then the things can be taken outfrom the buffer stock.Much has been said about imports and the Agriculture Minister isquite open for the imports to be made at a subsidised rate or withoutany duty at all. I think, this is a policy which has to be supported.Then, much has been stated about sugar. But, when we arediscussing sugar, we must realise that it is also a political issue. (Timebell).I will only take two more minutes, and I will only give positivesuggestions. So far as sugar is concerned, one has to be mindful ofthe fact that there is a grower of sugarcane, there is a consumer who isconsuming the sugar and there are also sugar mills. Interests of all ofthem should be taken into consideration. There must be remunerativeprice for the sugarcane grower. There must be affordable price of sugarfor the consumer. At the same time, you must see to it that sugar millsdo not die out automatically.We must also think in terms of another Green Revolution. Forthat, it is very necessary that we must think in terms of watermaintenance, or, water harvesting. Water is going to be a perennialheadache for all of us. I think, we all must think in terms of preservationof water. In the city of Mumbai, the Municipal Corporation has startedtapping the wells and they have found that large amount of water will beavailable by tapping of those wells.We must think of fertilizers. There are barren lands. The barrenlands can be converted into cultivable lands. India can have the largestamount of cultivable lands. There is Desert of Kutch in Rajasthan. Ifthe Government does not have the resources, they should be given to
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1 Uncorrected/ Not for publication- 08.12.2009 SSS-AKG/11.00/1A ...

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