Jammu, Mar 1: The non-availability of fertilizers across the state rocked the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council Monday with members accusing the government of adopting indifferent attitude towards the farmers.
 Though the minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir informed both the Houses that the Government was striving to ensure timely availability of the fertilizers, the members alleged that the government was indifferent towards the farmers’ community due to which the agriculture sector was at the receiving end.
 Raising the issue in the Legislative Assembly, BJP MLA Jugal Kishore alleged that there was shortage of fertilizers and seeds in the Kandi belt of Jammu region forcing the farmers to procure fertilizers from neighbouring state of Punjab.
 “Over 70 percent of maize crop has received serious damaged due to drought in Kandi areas, especially in Jammu region,” he alleged adding that the government has failed to meet the requirement of the fertilizers despite assurance by the minister in the house on February 26. However, the reply of the minister proves unsatisfactory leading to an uproar by the opposition members, especially BJP and NPP.
 CPI M MLA Yousaf Tarigami said: “Farmers are the mains sufferers due to draught, intense rain or in other climatic situations.” He sought ‘crops assurance scheme’ for the farmers. “The crop insurance scheme in not functional in Jammu and Kashmir and it should be made operational at the grass root level,” he said.
 Mir told him that measures were being taken for effective implementation of the National Crop Insurance Scheme launched in the state in 2004.
 Replying to the main question, he said government had sanctioned free ration of 35 kg per family as compensation for the damage of crops following long dry spells in the parts of Jammu Division.
 Meanwhile, the matter was also raised in the Legislative Council, where the minister was defending himself.
 MLA Muhammad Rasheed Qureshi and MLC Ajay Sadotra alleged that the farmers of far flung areas were not receiving the fertilizers.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST