Nainital, September 22
When Congress Chief Ministers sit down for their seventh conclave tomorrow, they are expected to make a strong pitch for immediate concessions for debt-ridden farmers while pressing the Centre to launch a second agriculture revolution to provide the necessary push to the stagnating production of wheat and pulses.

Since the focus of this meeting is agriculture and internal security, the Chief Ministers will apprise Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the agrarian and security scenario in their respective states.

At the same time, they may present a wish-list to the Centre, including a special financial package and loan waiver, for the indebted farmers.

Punjab, which is staring at an Assembly poll early next year along with Uttaranchal, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh, is likely to lead the chorus seeking a loan waiver. Having the highest rate of indebtedness in the country — Rs 41,500 outstanding loan per farmer — Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has reason to worry.

In addition, the production of wheat in Punjab has declined from 45 to 42 quintal per hectare over the past five years. Both Punjab and Haryana have been identified by the Centre for overutilising its underground water resources and for not giving sufficient emphasis to the application of micro-nutrients.

Pointing to the stagnating production of wheat and pulses, Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said: “India needs a second agriculture revolution. We have to improve our yield and improve production from the existing land.”

Worried over the crisis in the farm sector, the two-day deliberations will cover the entire gamut of issues, including lack of rural credit, growing indebtedness of farmers, spiralling prices of seeds and fertilisers, stagnating production of wheat, pulses and oilseeds and poor agriculture management techniques.

The rush to set up special economic zones is also expected to figure in the deliberations.

Since there is a general consensus that cheap credit is crucial to provide relief to farmers, the Chief Ministers are likely to reiterate their demand that cooperative banks should be bailed out by waiving their non-performing assets.

The Prime Minister has evinced keen interest in understanding all issues relating to this sector. He has been getting inputs on the status of the farm sector from the ministries concerned and his address tomorrow will provide the necessary direction to the states on the overall agricultural reforms.