Madhya Pradesh Congress president Suresh Pachouri broke his five-day-long fast here on Wednesday night after Union minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasami announced immediate relief of `424.60 crores for the hail-affected farmers.
This includes a special financial package of `200 crores and a second instalment of `224.60 crores under the Calamity Relief Fund specially sanctioned by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Mr Narayanasami airdashed to the state capital as Prime Minister’s special emissary, along with AICC general secretary and in-charge Madhya Pradesh B.K. Hariprasad. Both the leaders appealed to Mr Pachouri to give up his fast on behalf of Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
While breaking his fast at the Madhya Pradesh Congress headquarters in the presence of thousands of Congress workers and farmers, Mr Pachouri thanked the PM and Mrs Gandhi. He said that both of them are worried about the farmers’ plight. He particularly said that the Gandhi-Nehru family has always been fully sensitive and concerned about the farmers’ welfare.
Mr Narayanasami said that the state chief minister had met and given a letter to the Prime Minister seeking a special package of `2,400 crores on Tuesday. The breakup of this includes a demand for `900 crores for distribution of compensation to the farmers; and `500 crores for employment generation in the rural areas, he said, adding that these demands have been forwarded by the PM to the finance ministry and the rural development ministry and the government of India has already started processing the request.