Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ body demands Rs 20k crore relief package from PM

Pilibhit: The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), an umbrella group of over 250 farmers’ unions in the country, on Wednesday demanded a comprehensive relief package for farmers and labourers, including migrant workers, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a memorandum to PM Modi, the AIKSCC demanded an emergency relief fund of Rs 20,000 crore to make the full and final payment of sugarcane arrears to nearly 40 lakh growers in Uttar Pradesh, out of the Centre’s Rs 20 lakh crore-package. Meanwhile, on a call given by the farmers’ body, all its allied unions observed May 27 as ‘Kisan Bachao, Desh Bachao’ day. According to AIKSCC national convenor VM Singh, traders are buying crops, especially vegetables and fruits, from farmers at prices much lower than the production cost. “Farmers had to sell the wheat crop at a much lower price than the minimum support price (MSP) due to the lockdown. Even in such a difficult time, the government failed to pay them their due of sugarcane price. Thus, we demand from the PM to earmark a fund out of the Rs 20 lakh crore-package for immediate clearance of their cane arrears,” said Singh. Terming the PM’s announcement of scanty relief package of Rs 3,500 crore for 8 crore labourers for two months “shameful”, Singh said, “This implies financial assistance to a family worth Rs 218.5 a month and Rs 7.26 per day. If a family comprises five members, the PM intends to give relief of merely Rs 1.45 per person per day.” “The PM has extended almost ‘zero relief’ to the farmers and labourers out of his Rs 20 lakh crore-package, even as he assured the countrymen during the lockdown period that the nation had an adequate stock of foodgrain,” slammed Singh. A few other demands that the memorandum included were allotment of 15 kg foodgrain to every poor with or without ration card, immediate operation of all trains and interstate bus services for migrant labourers, opening of at least one dispensary in each village and access to health services for poor farmers and labourers to protect them from Covid-19 in an effective manner. Meanwhile, local leaders of Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Sangathan (KMS), Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in all five tehsils of Pilibhit district sent their respective memoranda of demands to the PM through sub-divisional magistrates.

The Times of India

2020-05-28

Bareilly