Farmers seek debt waiver

Patiala, March 20

Members of the All-India Kisan Federation (AIKF) organised a protest outside the Mini-Secretariat here on Tuesday, demanding debt waiver. The presient of the AIKF, Prem Singh Bhangu, addressed the gathering along with trade union leader Prem Singh Nanwa and the district president of AIKF, Iqbal Singh Mandauli.

The leaders said the government had failed to fulfill its promises of debt waiver. They said the government had played a cruel joke on the farmers and added that more than 500 farmers had committed suicide in the past one year.

They added that Rs 80,000 crore should be released for the farmers and fixing of meters on agri-motors should be stopped.

Prem Singh Bhangu said, “A separate budget for agriculture should be presented and the government should start crop insurance schemes. Subsidies available to the farmers should not be withdrawn while the land acquired for SIEL Chemical, Rajpura, in 1994 should be returned to original owners.” They sought subsidy on pesticides and insecticides, dairy farming, poultry and fisheries.

The farmers submitted a memorandum of demands to DC Kumar Amit. — TNS