Port Blair, June 24: The R Mohan the President of A & N State BJP unit today expressed concern over the pathetic conditions of farmers in A & N Islands and requested the Lt. Governor, Chief Secretary to immediately release compensation for farmers whose lands have been submerged in the Tsunami of 2004 without snatching those lands from them. Mohan also demanded for introduction of Separate annual budget for Agriculture; reduction of Interest rates on agricultural loans to one percent; Interlinking of water sources to the fields; Research on the improvement of Cow breeds; Utility items like tractor, agricultural equipment and machineries, drip and sprinkler irrigation installations, fertilizers, agro-chemical should be kept out from the ambit of excise duty and subsidy on them should be enhanced and given directly to the farmers; Seed bank be set up for each islands etc.
