Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government celebrates this year as Krishi Varsh, as it keeps farmers on top priority.
The farmers' agitation, however, opened the chinks in the armour of the agriculture department.
According to sources, the minister remains responsible for the present condition of the Agriculture Department.
Minister Aidal Singh Kansana never reviews the functioning of the department.
Two years and seven months have passed since Kansana became the minister, but he never reviewed the functioning of the department even twice.
The organisations, like MP Seeds and Farm Development Corporation, State Seeds Certification Agency, Agriculture Marketing Board, and Madhya Pradesh State Organic Certification Agency, function under the Agriculture Department. But Kansana never reviewed the functioning of any of the agencies.
According to sources, he never visits any part of the state to review the progress of the schemes run by his department.
Kansana never holds any discussions with the farmers' organisations, and when a dispute over the procurement of moong (green gram) cropped up, he discussed the issue with the peasants' organisations for the first time in two and a half years.
According to farmers' leader Shivkumar Sharma, 'Kakkaji', the agriculture minister barely takes any interest in the department. Leave aside the leaders of the farmers' organisations; the minister never spoke to the officers of the department, Kakkaji said, adding that he only issues controversial statements.
When the farmers moved from one place to another for fertiliser, he said the government had enough stock of it.
Similarly, according to farmers' leader Kedar Sirohi, 90% of peasants do not know the name of the agriculture minister.
The minister never spoke to the farmers about their problems in one and half years, he said.
