Farmer leaders demand white paper before Belagavi legislative session
Belagavi: Kurubur Shanthakumar, president of State Union of Farmers’ Organizations and State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, demanded that the state governments should issue a white paper about the steps taken to resolve farmers’ issues before holding the winter session in Belagavi.
Speaking to media persons at the guest house here on Friday, Kurubur Shanthakumar said that aiming to pressurise the government to resolve the problems of the agricultural sector and fulfil various demands of the farmers, a national level massive convention of farmers has been organised in Bengaluru on December 23.
National farmer leaders who fought for a year in Delhi will be participating, he said.
“I have travelled in six districts across the state and saw the suffering of farmers due to drought. Central and state governments are playing politics without coming to the aid of farmers. A total of 223 taluks of the state are suffering due to drought. In the winter sessions of the past, we have demanded a complete waiver of the farmers’ loans,” he said.
Legislation should be enforced to ensure minimum support price for agricultural products as per the Swaminathan Commission report. A scheme should be implemented to give a pension of at least Rs 5,000 per month to farmers who have completed 60 years. Efforts are being made to avoid giving free electricity to agricultural pump sets by privatising power supply. Electricity should be given to agricultural pump sets continuously for 10 hours during the day,” Shanthakumar demanded.
If the policy of giving 10 percent reservation in government jobs to brides of farmers’ sons is implemented, the problem of the youth of the villages will be solved. Let’s discuss this during a special Belagavi session, he said.
“Sugarcane yield has reduced by 50% due to drought, and sugar mills are competing to buy sugarcane due to high demand for sugar and ethanol. Farmers should be aware and supply sugarcane to factories that pay higher rates and advance payments. The Agriculture Price Commission itself estimates that the production cost per tonne of sugarcane is Rs 3,580, while the central government has fixed it at Rs 3,150. Two crore tonnes of sugarcane is grown in Belagavi district alone. However, not a single MLA is opening his mouth. Is this fair?” Shanthakumar questioned.
