Farmers demand raise in MSP, better infrastructure

Lily

B.R
Staff member
Chandigarh September 20:

Leading farmers’ unions in the country have asked the government to implement a farmer-friendly export-import policy.

These unions from 17 states had converged here today under the banner of the Kisan Coordination Committee (KCC). They have demanded better infrastructure, financial support and raised minimum support prices to help farmers remain afloat. The convention lashed out at the government for what it called deliberately keeping low prices of agriculture produce despite high input costs.

Organised by the Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), the farmers reviewed the UPA flagship schemes and deliberated on what they called anti-farmer policies prevailing in the country. They observed that export and import duties on agricultural produce had to be reviewed, so as to suit the farmers, as the nation was facing problem of food shortage and inflation. They felt that it was unfortunate that the government was hesitating in talking a clear decision on the admissibility of GM crops in food items.

The convention was hosted by Punjab and Haryana jointly. Among others, it was attended by national kisan leader from Maharashtra Sharad Joshi and BKU national president Bhupinder Singh Mann. The farmers also discussed inflationary consequences of dependence on imported oil and why the government was not encouraging producing of bio-fuel. A lot of emphasis was laid on the need for diversification.

Both Joshi and Mann said farmers were being treated as second-class citizens in every respect and the Right to Property, which is a fundamental right for every other citizen, is taken away from the farmers by the political class and hence farmers are left at their mercy and that of the urban class. The conventional strongly recommended direct payment to farmers and doing away with the system of payment through commission agents.

Joshi said there has always been negative support for agriculture from the government. He added the Central government had given a support to Punjab to the tune of 800 crores, but the state was sitting on this amount. Joshi said companies were allowed to purchase thousands of acres of land and earn profits to the tune of crores of rupees, whereas the Land Ceiling Act was being implemented against farmers.

 
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