A select committee of the Kerala legislature led by Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar on Tuesday held a sitting at the Alappuzha collectorate seeking suggestions from the public regarding the Kerala Farmers Welfare Fund Bill, 2018.
A large number of farmers and their representatives turned up before the committee and presented their suggestions.
Membership
Representatives of various farmer organisations suggested that the age limit for farmers to join the welfare fund be abolished in the first year of the Bill becoming law.
They demanded that all active farmers be given the membership. Other amendments suggested were related to insurance, increasing the number of farmer representatives in the welfare fund board, emergency aid among others.
The Minister said that it was the first of its kind Bill to be introduced in a State Assembly in the country.
“We could have passed the Bill with the support of all MLAs.
“But we have decided to constitute a select committee and seek suggestions from farmers and others. We have already conducted the first sitting in Thrissur,” Mr. Kumar said.
Questionnaire
Earlier, the select committee had prepared a questionnaire and distributed among farmer representatives.
The representatives further said that more suggestions would be given to the committee in written format.