Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 31
Farmers’ outfits in Haryana have given a call for “Gaon Bandh” (village shutdown) from June 1 to 10. In protest, farmers won’t go to urban areas to sell fruits, vegetables and milk.
This is part of the nationwide agitation on the call of the Rashtriya Kisan Sangh (RKS), an umbrella body of about 100 farmers’ organisations.
The RKS is demanding loan waiver and 50 per cent margin over the cost of production for crops in real terms.
Gurnam Singh Charuni, state president, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), alleged both the farmers and the consumers were being fleeced as policies the BJP government at the Centre favoured business houses.
“Farmers get Rs30 for a 50-kg crate of tomatoes. The amount is insufficient to meet even the cost of harvesting and transportation. Consumers buy tomatoes for Rs15 to Rs20 a kg. Government dairies purchase milk for Rs17 a litre. But to consumers, it costs Rs45 to Rs50 a litre,” Charuni claimed.
He said even the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (price deficit compensation scheme) launched by the Haryana Government for potatoes, tomatoes, onions and cauliflower was not proving helpful. “With no takers, farmers are forced to dump their produce or donate it to ‘gaushalas’.”
Vikal Pachar, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Swaminathan Aayog Sangharsh Samiti, said farmers had assured the samiti of not bringing their produce to towns for the next 10 days. “If residents of towns want to buy vegetables, fruits and milk, they have to visit villages,” he added.
The authorities in several districts of the state, meanwhile, have been taking measures to ensure that no law and order problem arose because of the strike.
Ambala DC Sharandeep Kaur has appealed to farmers’ outfits not to resort to “Gaon Bandh”. She claimed not only people will suffer, but also farmers would incur financial loss.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2xDyVwS
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