Jaswant won't give up farm subsidies

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Jaswant Singh on Saturday made it clear that the NDA government will not compromise on agriculture subsidies as it could put at stake the food security of 100 crore people of the country.
"I am not in favour of industrial agriculture", Singh said at a book release function on Friday night. He added that during his meeting with European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten he had spoken strongly against doing away with agriculture subsidies.
"I told him (Patten) that I cannot recommend that India ever give up supporting subsidies relating to the agriculture sector. Nobody on earth (can)," he said.
In India agriculture is not merely an economic activity but a life style, he said adding the sector had made major strides in the recent years that has catapulted India into an net agri exporting country.
He said there was also a need to accelerate wasteland development and improving irrigation in the country.