Kerala - Kochi   

Kisan Sabha for stir

KOCHI: The All India Kisan Sabha will launch a “militant campaign throughout the country” to force the Agriculture Ministry to take up welfare measures for farmers. The Kisan Sabha has mooted a comprehensive Central legislation for the welfare of farmers, including a pension scheme.

Speaking to reporters on the last day of the Kisan Sabha’s General Council meeting here on Monday, Atul Kumar Anjaan, general secretary, said the problems facing the farm sector had been complicated and aggravated by the economic policies being pursued by the Central and State Governments. They were not taking long-term measures to address the problems, he alleged.

The Kisan Sabha would organise nation-wide action to press a nine-point charter of demands that included radical changes to the credit policy.

The interest rate should be four per cent and small and marginal farmers should get credit with no interest. He said the Kerala Government had given an example by giving farmers interest-free loan. The Kisan Sabha also called for a stoppage to permission to new Special Economic Zones in the country. The SEZ Act 2005 should be reviewed and amended, said Mr. Anjaan.

The Sabha sought a farmer-friendly Seed Bill so that multi-national companies were not allowed to squeeze Indian farmers. A comprehensive universal crop insurance scheme should be introduced to protect farmers from calamities.

The Sabha would organise rallies and dharnas at the sub-divisional and district headquarters on September 1 to press for the nine-point charter implementation.

The fortnight till September 15 would be observed as protest fortnight. During the period, protests would be organised before nationalised and private banks, State and Central Government offices and district headquarters.

In the last week of September, a national convention of farmers will be held in Delhi at which amendments to the Eleventh Five-Year-Plan policies would be suggested. The Kisan Sabha would also organise an all-India ‘Delhi Chalo’ rally during the Budget Session in April next year.

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