Activists of the Joint Action Committee of farmers’ organisations staged a dharna here on Wednesday demanding fixation of procurement price at 50 % higher than the cost of production, and purchase of entire farm produce by the government to address the agrarian crisis gripping farmers.
Addressing the demonstrators, the speakers demanded that the government waive off all kinds of farm loans of farmers, including tenant farmers, to help them come out of the vicious cycle of debt.
The farmer representatives flayed both the BJP-led Central government and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti government in the State for allegedly neglecting the plight of distressed farmers, particularly cotton growers, and failing to fulfil promises made to the farming community.
Viable livelihood
They demanded that the Central government implement recommendations made by the M.S. Swaminathan Commission to make agriculture economically viable.
They called upon the members of farmers’ organisations to make the upcoming ‘Kisan Mukti Sansad’ protest programme by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) in New Delhi on November 20 a success.