Pubdate: Tue, 09 Oct 2007
Source: Hindu, The (India)
Copyright: 2007 The Hindu
Contact:  http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/874

RAJE SEEKS UNIFORM OPIUM POLICY

Present Norm Is "Impractical" And Adversely Affects Farmers

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has  requested the 
Centre to review its opium policy to  bring about uniformity in the 
country, saying its  present form was "impractical" and adversely 
affected  the farmers.

In a statement here on Monday, Ms. Raje said different  yardsticks 
for giving opium licence to farmers in  different States were 
unreasonable and resulted in  discrimination against certain States.

She pointed out that the eligibility for getting  licence in 
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh was the opium  production of 56 kg per 
hectare, whereas it was only 49  kg per hectare in Uttar Pradesh.

The Centre's "discriminatory" policy had led to a sharp  decline in 
the issue of licences in Rajasthan,  affecting farmers in the opium 
producing belt in  southern parts of the State. Ms. Raje said that 
against  4,860 farmers in Ramganjmandi, Sangod, Atru, Ladpur and 
Chhipabarod getting licences in 2006-07, only 877  farmers were given 
the authorisation in 2007-08.

Moreover, 388 of these farmers have decided to uproot  the opium crop 
to offset the losses, further reducing  the number to 489.

Ms. Raje said the issue of licences had registered a  decline in 
Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Pratapgarh and  Jhalawar districts as well.

The Chief Minister said the Centre had not taken any  decision so far 
on the Baran Collector's report of  February 20 last on the extensive 
damage caused to  opium crop. "During the NDA regime in the Centre, 
old  licences remained valid despite zero level production  as a 
result of damage to crops and 6,000 new licences  were issued to 
compensate for the farmers' losses," she  said.

Ms. Raje affirmed that the opium policy and new norms  for 
eligibility had created hardship for farmers, who  were facing 
droughts. She called upon the Centre to  bring about uniformity in 
norms and make the opium  policy farmer-friendly.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman