RAJE SEEKS UNIFORM OPIUM POLICY

Present Norm Is "Impractical" And Adversely Affects Farmers

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has requested the
Centre to review its opium policy to bring about uniformity in the
country, saying its present form was "impractical" and adversely
affected the farmers.

In a statement here on Monday, Ms. Raje said different yardsticks
for giving opium licence to farmers in different States were
unreasonable and resulted in discrimination against certain States.

She pointed out that the eligibility for getting licence in
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh was the opium production of 56 kg per
hectare, whereas it was only 49 kg per hectare in Uttar Pradesh.

The Centre's "discriminatory" policy had led to a sharp decline in
the issue of licences in Rajasthan, affecting farmers in the opium
producing belt in southern parts of the State. Ms. Raje said that
against 4,860 farmers in Ramganjmandi, Sangod, Atru, Ladpur and
Chhipabarod getting licences in 2006-07, only 877 farmers were given
the authorisation in 2007-08.

Moreover, 388 of these farmers have decided to uproot the opium crop
to offset the losses, further reducing the number to 489.

Ms. Raje said the issue of licences had registered a decline in
Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Pratapgarh and Jhalawar districts as well.

The Chief Minister said the Centre had not taken any decision so far
on the Baran Collector's report of February 20 last on the extensive
damage caused to opium crop. "During the NDA regime in the Centre,
old licences remained valid despite zero level production as a
result of damage to crops and 6,000 new licences were issued to
compensate for the farmers' losses," she said.

Ms. Raje affirmed that the opium policy and new norms for
eligibility had created hardship for farmers, who were facing
droughts. She called upon the Centre to bring about uniformity in
norms and make the opium policy farmer-friendly.