The government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has taken all possible steps for implementation of National Policy for Farmers (NPF)-2007 for the development and growth of agriculture and betterment of farmers.
The government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has taken all possible steps for implementation of National Policy for Farmers (NPF)-2007 for the development and growth of agriculture and betterment of farmers.
In its counter affidavit filed in response to a PIL seeking to implement NPF, the Ministry of Agriculture said that no comparison can be made about increase or decrease of prices of one commodity viz-a-viz other commodities as it depends on demand and supply and market forces.
"The government has taken all possible steps for implementation of National Policy for Farmers 2007 for the development and growth of agriculture and allied sectors as well for the betterment of farmers... "India has not only ensured self-sufficiency in most agricultural crops but has also built sufficient buffer stocks and is also in a position to export agricultural commodities to other countries," the affidavit said, adding that the only areas where production is deficient are pulses and oil/seeds.
The matter was listed before a bench comprising justices SJ Mukhopadhaya and NV Ramana which posted it for hearing after six weeks after taking on record the additional affidavit placed before it by Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh.
The PIL filed by the Consortium of Farmers Association in 2011 had sought implementation of NPF and said despite spiralling agricultural product prices, the tillers continue to be poor and debt-ridden. The Centre had earlier also filed an affidavit and supplementary affidavit in response to the notices issued to it.
The PIL has accused the government of sitting idle since 2007 on the national farmers policy, framed on the recommendations of MS Swaminathan Commission.
The PIL also sought a direction to the government to implement and give effect to the "recommendations made by National Commission on Farmers in its October 4, 2006 report as repeated in the National Policy for Farmers, 2007 and further recommended by Group on Agriculture Production under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister in its report submitted in December 2010".
The policy was aimed at improving the net income of farmers in addition to improving productivity, profitability, land, water and support services and provide appropriate price policy, risk management measures.
Responding to a point raised in the petition that NPF has also recommended several steps to be taken for implementation of the recommendation on farmers, the affidavit said that "action has already been completed/ initiated in respect of most of the points contained in the plan of action".
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