Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the accusations made by some political parties that the Government aims to charge a fee for the water that is provided free to farmers are false.
No proposal or discussion has taken place in the Government, and no such proposal has been presented to the Agriculture Ministry or the Cabinet.
Despite this, the Minister also said that the groups claiming to be farmers’ representatives of a certain political party are spreading false information to mislead the farmers for political gains.
The Minister expressed this views at a meeting held in Hungama Hathagala on Saturday (9). Sri Lanka Hadabima Authority had started a programme to provide chicks to 200 families to increase the living standard of low-income families in Hathagala area. Under this, the Minister instructed officials to give 20 chicks to each family.
At present, the Sri Lanka Hadabima Authority has distributed 25,000 chicks among the farmers for free with the aim of increasing the income and the livelihood development of the farmers.
The Minister expressed his views: “These days, a group of people who claim to be farmers’ representatives of a political party are saying that the Government will charge a fee for the water provided to the farmers, and that the Government has started a system of privatization of water, and that in the future they will have to pay for the water they get for farming.
“This is completely false. I say with responsibility that at least five cents will not be charged for the water provided to agriculture. There has been no proposal or at least no discussion in the Government regarding this.
“Also, if a water fee is charged to farmlands, I challenge them to show which fields have water metres installed. The current Government will not cut the concessions given to the farmers in any case. Our aim is to provide all possible concessions to farmers for cultivation.
Therefore, I request the farmers not to believe this false information of some political party representatives who claim to be farmers’ representatives but do not cultivate at least half an acre,” the Minister said.
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