Farmers to stage state-wide stir on Jan 26 on farmer issues

BHUBANESWAR: Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmers’ outfits in the country, will hold tractor rally and massive protest across the state on the Republic Day demanding enactment of law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) of agriculture produce and waiver of farm loans.
This movement will be a part of SKM’s nationwide protest. SKM national leader Hannan Mollah discussed about the stir with representatives of farmer outfits and trade union leaders from Odisha on Friday.
Mollah said the Centre is yet to fulfil any of the promises made to the SKM in a letter issued on December 9, 2021, on the basis of which the farm movement was suspended. “The Centre is not holding any discussion on the MSP issue even after one year of the government’s assurance to solve the issue,” he added.
They have raised eight major demands related to farmers. Apart from legal guarantee for MSP and loan waiver plea, the SKM demanded the government to rollback the electricity amendment bill and withdraw the false cases registered against the agitating farmers.
Suresh Chandra Panigrahy, member of the SKM, said the government should bring a farmer-centric crop insurance scheme to help peasants who face crop loss due to flood, drought, cyclone, unseasonal rain, animal and pest attack. Insurance companies are not listening to the state authorities and do not pay proper insurance amounts to the farmers, he added.
Activist Prafulla Samantara said they will raise state-specific farmer issues during the protest. These include irregularities in the Mandi system and rights to sharecroppers. Trade union members have also extended support to this protest in Odisha.
“We are holding this nation-wide protest because the Centre failed to keep its promises made in December 2021. We will intensify the movement in the country,” said Mollah.