Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has written a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, accusing her of being anti-farmer for not implementing centrally-funded schemes for ryots’ welfare.

In his letter, dated January 1, Mr Chouhan said, ”You have never taken appropriate decisions in the interest of farmers in Delhi. The farmer-friendly schemes of the Central Government have also been prevented from being implemented in Delhi by your government. Your government has no sympathy for farmers. Today, the farmer brothers and sisters of Delhi are troubled and worried.”

Advertisement

He pointed out that due to the non-implementation of many farmer welfare schemes of the Centre by the Delhi Government, the farmer fraternity is being deprived of the benefits of these schemes.

He said he had earlier also written a letter to her and informed about the problems of the farmers of Delhi, but it is a matter of concern that the AAP government has not resolved these problems.

For the last 10 years, he said, ”AAP has been in power in Delhi but it has always seemed that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has only cheated the farmer brothers and sisters, and has taken political advantage by making big announcements before the elections. Instead of taking decisions in the public interest, the AAP government has always complained about their problems.”

Mr Chouhan highlighted that due to the irresponsible attitude of the AAP government, the Integrated Horticulture Development Mission of the Central Government has not been implemented. ”Due to the non-implementation of the mission, farmers are not able to avail many benefits including supply of planting material, nursery and tissue culture, construction of infrastructure of post-harvest management, poly house and cold chains”.

The ambitious National Agriculture Development Scheme of the Central Government has also not been implemented by the AAP-led Delhi Government, he added and noted that due to non-implementation of it, schemes like Agricultural Micro Irrigation Soil Health Pashudhan, and Traditional Agriculture Development Scheme have not been implemented.

Under the Seed Village Programme of the Central Government, benefits are available like distribution of seeds, seed testing, improvement in infrastructure for laboratories, assistance to seed certification agencies and for traditional varieties of seeds, the minister said, and expressed anguish that ”it is a matter of concern that the Seed Village Program has not been implemented in Delhi by the AAP government and the farmers here are being deprived of the benefits of the Seed Samachar Program”.

He also claimed that the AAP policies were anti-agriculture and anti-farmer. ”The farmers of Delhi have told me that in Delhi, essential agricultural equipment like tractors, harvesters are being registered in the commercial category, due to which farmers have to sell their agricultural equipment at higher prices,” the minister stated.

He further said, ”You talk of free electricity but your government in Delhi has fixed high electricity rates for farmers. Commercial rates are being charged for electricity from Vidhan Sabha to Paan in Delhi. Cheap electricity is essential for irrigation and other agricultural works but in Delhi, farmers themselves are being charged a huge amount for agricultural electricity. ”

He said the AAP government has cut the electricity connection to irrigation equipment in villages along the Yamuna, due to which crops are getting destroyed and their livelihood is also in danger.

Political rivalry should not become a hindrance in farmers’ welfare, he stressed and added that the Delhi CM should ensure that farmers take advantage of central schemes.

He requested her to take decisions in the interest and welfare of the farmers.