PANJIM: The State government on Wednesday extended the deadline up to September 15, for submission of suggestions and inputs for formulation of draft Goa State Agriculture Policy.
Stating that it is the government’s endeavour to formulate a farmer centric policy, the Director of Agriculture Nevil Alphonso has requested all the farmers, farmers groups, farmer’s societies, NGOs, agricultural experts, elected representatives, other stakeholders and the general public to submit their suggestion for consideration of the Goa State Agriculture Policy.
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The suggestions can be sent to the Director of Agriculture/Member Secretary of Agriculture Policy committee, Directorate of Agriculture, Krishi Bhavan, Tonca, Caranzalem or to the Zonal Agriculture Office (ZAPO) of any Taluka by hand or through email at [email protected]
Earlier, August 16 was the last date to submit suggestions and inputs to the draft policy. The government had so far received over 35 suggestions mostly from individuals.
The demand to extend the deadline to submit suggestions was first made by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai during the recently concluded Assembly Session, when he was sent a circular asking his to give his response. He had demanded to know why the draft was sent to MLAs for suggestions or opinions very late. He said that if he had not raised the issue, then this policy would have been a bunch of half-baked ideas created by bureaucrats, who had no knowledge of agriculture or farming.
Sardesai on Wednesday said that the draft policy had no vision, mission and objectives. There is no distinction between small and larger farmers while, the issue of climate change is not addressed. He said that the government is hostile towards the youth and that there is no mention of the Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO) or community farming.
