Cong conclave to push for new agri policy

Aim: 'Second Green Revolution'.

Congress chief ministers and senior party leaders will join their heads on the bank of the picturesque Naini Lake here from Saturday to draft their vision of a 'Second Green Revolution'.

The ideas to attain this goal, which the Congressmen are going to float at the two-day meeting are, however, unlikely to please Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or Finance Minister P Chidambaram who will also attend the conclave.

Take for instance the idea of further calibrating the subsidy system as per regional variations in cropping pattern and agricultural practices, or upgrading the minimum support price to compete with private players and ensure adequate procurement for buffer stock. Forward trading in essential commodities also needs to be reviewed, said senior Congress leaders.

The focus will be on the formulation of a new agriculture policy with farmers at the centre, they added.

It is in this context that the controversial issues of Special Economic Zone (SEZ), price rise and farmers' suicide will come up for discussion, they said. As the party is vertically divided on the issue of SEZ, some fireworks are expected at the meeting.

While many CMs like Capt Amarinder Singh from Punjab and Bhupinder Singh Hooda from Haryana are expected to defend the SEZs at the meeting, they will have to contend with an influential section of senior party leaders, supported by Chidambaram, who cite farmers' problems and revenue loss to oppose the concept.

Congress leaders, who will get a chance to express their views on different issues after the 15-minute presentation by each of the 14 CMs, are also unhappy about the government's steps to curb the incidence of suicide by farmers.

"These issues have to be discussed threadbare because we are answerable to aam admi," said a senior Congress leader. The UPA government was reported to have prepared a Rs 17,000 crore package for four states witnessing the largest number of suicides by farmers. CMs of two of these states, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, will be present at the meeting.

Party sources, however, said the PM was unlikely to announce any package from this venue, although he may elaborate on the government's plans and schemes on Sunday when he and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to address a joint press conference.

Senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes told Business Standard that the main focus of the conclave would be on agricultural production through improved irrigation facilities and use of technological advancement in this sector.

"SEZ or price rise is not on the agenda, although it may be possible that some people talk about it while discussing the larger agricultural scenario," he said.