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Title : Need to take suitable measures to solve the problems being faced by farmers in Aurangabad, Bihar.
SHRI NIKHIL KUMAR (AURANGABAD, BIHAR): Agriculture is the mainstay of Bihar specially after Jharkhand was carved out of it. But farmers in the state face all kinds of problems. Bihar, as is universally known, is ravaged by floods, which have become an annual hardship. Farmers are forced to shift from flooded areas to dry places and they remain there for extended periods. During this period they are unable to work in their fields. Then there are areas, which are hit by drought because of failure of monsoon and lack of adequate irrigation arrangements. These areas may have rivers with a network of canals, distributaries and feeders but are not widespread enough and large areas depend upon rainfall for irrigation as in my constituency Aurangabad.
For two years it has been struck by drought due to monsoon failure. Nearly a fourth of its Panchayats have been so affected that farmers with their own tube wells cannot operate them due to shortage of power. They depend upon special relief packages but this cannot be a permanent arrangement. The network of canals should be extended to cover these areas and necessary power to operate their tube wells be provided. It is equally important to help the farmers through procurement of their produce.
It is requested that the FCI should set up its godown in Aurangabad to store the procured food-grains and the procurement should be done directly from the farmers and not through middlemen.
A third request is to the Railway Ministry to allot a rake for Anugrah Narayan Road railway station to facilitate foodgrains buyers from outside the state to lift the desired quantity from the farmers of Aurangabad as was the practice till 2002-03.
I request the Central Government to look into the matter.