BANGALORE: The state government will undertake massive publicity campaign on the achievements made in the agriculture and allied sector ahead of the two-day agri-business development summit slated for December 1 and 2 in the city. The summit will be held in order to pre-empt the moves of some farmers organisations to paint a negative picture of the state.“The campaign, which is being fine-tuned, will highlight the progress made in various wings of the agriculture sector including providing farm loans at 1 per cent, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon cash-incentives, strengthening of market linkages and organic farming by the BJP government,” Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti told Express here on Thursday.“Comparative figures of the achievements made by previous regimes will also be provided to make sure that the progress made during the present BJP government’s dispensation is put in proper perspective and in a conspicuous manner,” Katti said.Since the agro-business development summit is not confined only to agriculture per se but includes allied sectors such as sericulture and horticulture, the developments made in these two departments will also be highlighted. “The campaign will be in both print and electronic media,” the agriculture minister said and added that,” A committee consisting of senior officers of all the three departments have been constituted to oversee the publicity campaign.” Justifying the need for such a publicity campaign, Katti said that inspite of significant achievements made in agriculture and allied sector which is unprecedented when compared to previous governments, some farmers’ organisations have undertaken a sustained campaign against the BJP government. “We do not claim that we have solved all the problems besetting the peasants. But we can humbly say that we have made the best out of a bad situation and done a considerable lot,” Katti said.“Moreover, the problems of farmers keep recurring not due to laxity of the government but more due to the vagaries of nature. We have been alert and sensitive. Unfortunately, there has been no objective and dispassionate study of the same by the farmers organisations. Hence, we need to undertake a publicity campaign,” Katti explained. Simultaneously, the state government will also invite the farmers’ organisations to discuss the problems being faced by the peasants in the state much before the commencement of the summit in order to assuage their feelings and ensure that the summit - aimed at the long-term welfare of the farmers - do not suffer from negative publicity.
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