Now, Congress talks about the farmers

As the polls inch closer, Gujarat Congress is now focusing on the basics – the largest electorate community i.e. farmers.

Announcing its eighth agenda under the Gujarat Praja Vikas Darshan 2012, the party said it will give power to the pastorals for 16 hours daily as against eight hours being given by BJP currently.

A host of other measures like subsidy in water pumps operating on solar and wind power, new electric connections to a million farmers still awaiting power, among others have been promised.

Addressing the media on Thursday afternoon, state president Arjun Modhwadia said 18,000 villages will be given free solar street lights and 10% reduction in energy tax. In what reveals minute planning by Congress’s strategists, he announced that a special project will be undertaken to relieve farmers suffering on account of the menace of stray cattle like hogs, which enter the fields and harm the crops. Besides, an oft-repeated promise was again brought out by promising to remove dark zones from the entire state and provide electric connections to farmers. 
A sensitive subject of late in Gujarat is farmers drawing water from Narmada canal illegally and they being taken to task by the local police at behest of the government. Congress has promised that all criminal cases of power theft against farmers will be withdrawn and they will be dealt with on humanitarian basis.

“Gujarat Agro industries Corporation working for the interest of farmers, which has been gradually moving towards closure during last 10 years, will be revived. Work on 74,600 km Narmada canal network will be completed within three years to cover 18 lakh hectares of irrigation land in Narmada canal areas. This can be done without increasing the dam height by even a single inch,” said leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said.