Farmers to gherao assembly from Feb 22

JAIPUR:Troubles It (farm loan waivers) can be a shortterm remedy but in the longterm, it can create hurdles in getting loans from banks .

PROF VS VYAS, former member of the prime minister’s advisory council

seem to be piling up for BJP government in Rajasthan. A day after losing all three bypolls, the party is now facing the ire of the farmers.

Farmers, under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) affiliated to CPI-M, have decided to go on an “indefinite siege” of the state assembly from February 22. The association has been conducting ‘Kisan Sansad’ at the village level for the past two months.

The budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly will begin on February 5.

The association that had staged massive protests in Sikar in September last year forcing the state government to announce a farm loan waiver is unhappy that their demands remain unfulfilled despite assurances from state ministers.

“The loan waiver is yet to be implemented and the state government appears to be backtracking on its promise to waive off farm loans up to ₹50,000. Other demands that were accepted related to minimum support price are yet to be implemented,” AIKS leader Pemaram said.

In a meeting held in Sishu in Sikar on Thursday, farmers’ leader and former MLA Amraram said while the government had accepted their demands in September under pressure, they have not been implemented. He appealed to farmers from all over the state to join the siege.

On September 12 last year, the BJP government had announced a loan waiver after 11 days of protest by farmers.

However, economists argue against loan waivers. Prof VS Vyas, a former member of the prime minister’s advisory council, said that loan waivers are not in the long-term interest of farmers. “It can be a short-term remedy but in the long-term, it can create hurdles in getting loans from banks and farmers will be forced to go back to sahukars and money-lenders,” he said.

While talking about the states’ failure to implement MSP, Vyas blamed the ineffective procurement agencies. “The agencies are supposed to buy from farmers at the MSP but they are ineffective, which forces farmers to sell at lower prices to private traders.”