Farmers Movement Archive

Uttarakhand must bring back its farmers to the hills through agri-centric policies, says BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

DEHRADUN: Addressing a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Herbertpur, nearly 30 kilometres from Dehradun city, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that the Uttarakhand government must make agriculture-centric policies to bring back those farmers who have migrated from the hills. Taking a swipe at the change of chief ministers in successive state governments over the past 21 years in Uttarakhand, the farmer leader said, “The state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh with a dream of improving the lives of the farmers and people in the hills. However, the condition of only the politicians and some top officials has improved.” On farmer issues in the Himalayan state, Tikait said, “Farmers should be given subsidies to transport their produce from the treacherous hill tracks to the mandis. The state government must promote village tourism on the lines of Himachal Pradesh. Also, people working towards establishing an IT sector in the hills must be given an allowance.” Tikait also laid stress on the need to ensure that farmers are paid right prices for their produce. “There are nearly 1,800 ghost villages in Uttarakhand. Around 3 lakh hectare farm land has been converted into forest because farmers have left these villages for cities in search of job opportunities. This shows that successive governments have failed terribly in making the right strategy for farmers.” He added that the state government must ensure that farmers, who are impacted due to hydel power projects, are paid compensation timely. Earlier in the day, Tikait was extended a warm welcome in Herbertpur by Daulat Kunwar, national convener of Rashtriya Samvedhanik Adhikar Sanrakshan. In his address, Kunwar said, “If you kill daughters, how will you find daughter-in-laws. Similarly, if you kill farmers, how will you get food?"

The Times of India

2021-03-28

Dehradun