News : |
| PCR SPEECH AT CHARTED ACCOUNT CONFERENCE |
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30th August, 2009 |
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Respected Shri. Uttam Prakash Agarwal Ji, President, ICAI & Shri. Devaraja Reddy Garu, Chairman, Organizing Committee. Delegates to the Conference - Ladies and Gentlemen |
On behalf of the farmers of India I am thankful to the organizers for providing an opportunity to a representatives of farmers to place before you the challenges faced by the agriculture sector. |
| The Indian development has two faces |
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The service and industrial sector have achieved remarkable progress and have become global competitors. |
On the contrary the agriculture sector supporting over 65% of population comprising of 700 million people living in villages are facing serious identity crises. |
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Farmers known as Annadathas were commanding highest respect in Indian society. |
But as of 21st century we farmers has become an untouchable in our own social circles. |
Agriculture is un-remunerative and highly uncertain occupation. |
Farmers have neither secured life nor assured income. |
| Farmers have ‘Gathi but No Pragathi’ |
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Suicides, migration, social unrest and unemployment have become a permanent return in all the 6 lakhs villages of India. |
| The challenges before the nations |
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Can India survive with our food security? |
Can India prosperity enable it to over come the social unrest that is likely to engulf the nation due rural unrest? |
Let us analyze the reasons for these deplorable conditions of rural India? |
Is it that government has not allocated sufficient budget? |
Are it that there are technologies to help the farmers reduce physical drudgery? Over come pest and diseases? Are there resource crunch? Don’t we have capable administrators? |
The real problem is the failure of institutions Failure to implement the programs correctly Optimize the resource utilization |
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Legislative : |
The Parliament and Assemblies make billions of rupees allocation to agriculture sector.
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But the results donot percolate to farmers. – Funds are misused and in many cases diverted. |
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An examples is that the only 30-35% of irrigation potential is utilized in this country. |
In 2008-2009 the Union Budget allocated 380 crores for Rain Fed Authority but only, 5 crores were spent during that period.
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During 2008-2009 Union Budget announced establishment of 500 mobile soil testing laboratories and provided over 100 crores but not one laboratory was established.
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Administrative : |
There are many acts and guidelines are provided for the administrations to assist the farmers.
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Indian farmers lose 30,000 crores crops due to spurious and substandard pesticides. |
The market yards have become biggest exploiters of the farmers.
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Role of Auditors : |
We farmers wish to inform the auditors in India that our farmer’s organizations have no institutions mechanism or resources or manpower to monitor the allocations or programs or performance of various governmental proposals.
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I have come to request the auditors to take up the issue of farmers as a social responsibility to take up supervising and scrutinizing the issues related to agriculture and rural sector.
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The auditors can help us by auditing the implementation of programs announced by governments.
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The auditors can assist us by scrutinizing the performance and results achieved by institutions, departments, ministries, parliament standing committees as well as the state and union budget.
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We request the auditors community to help the farmers by acting as our Eyes and Ears to see that the resources allocated to us are properly spent and provide us the benefits. |
Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) a professional farmers organization working in many states of India having office in Delhi is willing to work with you. |
I thank you once again for providing me this opportunity. |
P. Chengal Reddy
Secretary General CIFA
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