Money > Budget > Budget News & Analysis JANUARY 14, 2002 I 16:53 IST rediff.com
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Ajit Singh to oppose any move to dismantle farm subsidies

Strongly opposing any move to dismantle farm subsidies, Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh on Monday sought enhanced budgetary allocation to strengthen post-harvest operations including storage and marketing.

At a 90-minute pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, he also discussed at length a host of schemes to reform the ailing agriculture sector to pull it out of the morass and enable it to face competition under World Trade Organisation regime.

"Since agriculture with its enormous job potential has been truly recognised as the thrust area, we need more funds for modernisation of various segments, mainly post-harvest operations, storage and marketing," Singh told reporters.

Favouring increased sport also for agri-research, he said as against 2 per cent of the GDP spending on research by developed and even some developing countries, India the spending is just 0.3 per cent of the GDP in India.

Stressing the need to modernise and strengthen infrastructure for post-harvest management, he said this would include credit support for setting up of new mandis and cold food chains. Added support is also required for many new schemes in extension work, he said.

Asked about suggestions from some quarters for cut and even remove of farm subsidies, Singh said: "How can we do it? Our agriculture is much less protected compared to developed nations. Our protection level is negligible. We have to make sure that the farm sector is well protected."

The need to bring about speedy reforms in the farm sector through special schemes and to do away with restrictive laws was also discussed at the meeting.

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