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JD(S) to take State farmers to Delhi

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Sept. 13. The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, and the President of the JD(S) State unit and former Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, will lead a group of farmers to New Delhi to draw the attention of the Union Government to the serious drought in the State and the lack of response from the Centre and the State Government to mitigate the plight of the farmers.

Mr. Siddaramaiah and the Secretary-General of the JD(S), C. Narayanaswamy, told presspersons here today that nearly 2,000 farmers from across the State would travel to New Delhi by a special train on September 29. They would hold a farmers' rally, stage a dharna near the residence of the Prime Minister on October 2, and submit a memorandum. The farmers would also highlight the problems faced by the farmers in the Cauvery Basin following the release of water to Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Siddaramaiah, and a number of Janata Dal leaders, would travel with the farmers by the same train.

The State Government had done little to provide support to the farmers. Even the Rs. 400-crore revolving fund sought to be created by the Government remained on paper.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the recent statement of the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, that the State Government would waive the penal interest on the farm loans was also misleading. While the State Government said that the waiver would cost the exchequer around Rs. 190 crore and it would seek 50 per cent reimbursement from the Centre, there was no provision for the Centre to make

such reimbursement.

He also criticised the State Government for the "shoddy" drought relief programmes. There were many places where there was an acute scarcity of drinking water, and fodder for cattle. While the Government was seeking Central assistance, the latter was yet to give any assurance on the matter.

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