Maya govt gifts tractors to farmers on Kanshiram b’day

A total of 5,400 villages will be covered under this scheme. In the first phase,770 villages in Lucknow and Faizabad divisions have been covered. Agriculture Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui gave away the equipment.

“We have not given any name to the committees meant for running the scheme. There are watershed committees (Jalagam Samiti) that already exist across the state. Where watershed committees do not exist,we have constituted new committees,” said Dr Mukesh Gautam,Director of Agriculture.

Gautam said UP is the country’s first state to provide tractors and other equipment to farmers under this particular scheme. The state has spent Rs 5 lakh on each committee,but the payment for tractors is yet to be made.

“TAFE and Swaraj,which had supplied the equipment,will ensure maintenance of each tractor for three years. They will also pay the drivers,” Gautam said.

The companies will charge Rs 289 per hour for making tractors available to the committee members.

The tractors,however,will be under the control of the committees which will elect their president. The agriculture assistant posted at Nayay Panchayat level will be secretary of the committees,he said.

In all,540 tractors will be bought. The companies will provide the remaining 463 tractors before March 25,which will be distributed buy people’s representatives or district magistrates.

Chief Minister Mayawati,meanwhile,paid homage to Kanshiram at Prerana Kendra and Kanshiram Smarak Sthal. Several BSP supporters had gathered on the premises of Kanshiram Smarak Sthal located on Lucknow’s VIP Road. Mayawati exhorted the people to take lessons from the life of Kanshiram,who had made the Dalits realise their political power. She said her government is trying to establish an egalitarian society.