Punjab farmers reject state scheme for debt waiver, begin fiveday protest
Alloted protest site at Mehmudpur village, 10 km from Patiala on the road to Sangrur, farmers say govt’s scheme benefits only a small number of farmers, also demand help for affordable alternative to stubbleburning
PATIALA: Rejecting the Punjab government’s farm loan waiver scheme, claiming that it benefits only a small number of farmers, seven farmer organisations started a five-day protest at Meamudpur village on Patiala-Sangrur road, 10km from the city, on Friday.
PATIALA: Rejecting the state government’s farm loan waiver scheme, claiming that it benefits only a small number of farmers, seven farmer organisations started a five-day protest at Mehmudpur village on Patiala-Sangrur road, 10km away from the city, on Friday. Around 5,000 farmers converged at the village on Friday, sources claimed.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), one of the organisations, behind the protest, said, “In its election manifesto, the Congress made tall claims of waiving loans of debtridden farmers. The scheme that the state Cabinet has approved is a farce and mocks at farmers.”
The protesting organisations are BKU (Ekta Ugarahan), BKU (Dakaunda), Kirti Kisan Union, Krantikari Kisan Union, BKU (Krantikari), Kisan Sangharsh Committee (Azad), and Kisan Sangharsh Committee (Pannu).
WHAT PLAN COVERS
The notification that the government has approved — the election commission of India has to approve it before it can be implemented — proposes writing-off crop loans worth Rs 2 lakh of small and marginal farmers with landholdings of up to five acres. The government will also give a relief of Rs 2 lakh to the remain- ing marginal farmers irrespective of the debt amount.
“The government’s move will help only a small number of farmers. Most others will continue to live in a state of distress, waiting for the government to waive their loans,” Ugrahan said. Farmers have also demanded that the state government fix a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops as per the recommendations of the Swami nathan committee report. Other demands are that all tenants and re-claimants be given ownership rights of the land they are cultivating, permanent arrangement of the stray and wild animals be made and adequate arrangement for disposal of paddy straw.
State president of BKU (Dakaunda), Buta Singh Burjgill, said farmers had no option, but to burn paddy straw unless and until the government provides monetary assistance to handle crop residues.
“Organisations are demanding Rs 200 per quintal of paddy yield for handling straw without burning it. The state agriculture department is only concentrating on issuing diktats to us to use to combines having Super Straw Management System (SMS) with self-propelled combine harvesters,” Burjgill added.
HEAVY SECURITY COVER
Even as the protest has been allowed, heavy security arrangements have been put in place to maintain law and order. Special check-posts have been set up on roads leading to Patiala from the protest venue to restrict movement of farmers towards the city.
“Though we are allotted protest site in the wilderness, but we will ensure that our voices be heard in the house of the CM in Patiala,” Ugrahan added.