‘Loan-waiver only a temporary solution’
MUMBAI: Waiving off loans is only a temporary arrangement and instead, farmers need better infrastructural support and affordable credit, said Vicepresident Venkaiah Naidu at the University of Mumbai (MU) on Thursday.
“I’m very happy that they [state and Central governments] are focussing on agriculture, but problems are many and we need multi-solution strategies,” said Naidu at MU’S fort campus.
“This loan waiver and free power are temporary solutions and don’t solve the problem. You waive the loan this season, what about the next season?” asked the Vice-president.
He added that providing electricity for free is not a solution because electricity is not generated free of cost.
What governments should instead focus on is providing uninterrupted electricity, he said.
The Vice-president was speaking at the university to commemorate the birth centenary year of the late Lakshmanrao Inamdar.
Also present at the event were Maharashtra governor and chancellor of all universities, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, state minister for higher and technical education Vinod Tawde and MU vice-chancellor Suhas Pednekar, among others.
Highlighting how the world is moving from a rural to a more urban perspective, Naidu said cooperative societies will be beneficial in the overall development of the Indian economy, especially since 56% of the country still depends on agriculture.
“Cooperative societies can help farmers in getting the benefit of higher minimum support price (MSP). Cooperatives can help in reducing the cost of production and also encourage training amidst farmers in the efficient use of water and corrective procurement of capital intensive equipment and inputs,” he said.