Shimla, July 25
Following massive protests by apple growers on July 11 and 20, the state government has invited the latter for talks on July 28. The meeting will be chaired by the Chief Minister.
“We have received an invitation from the government for a meeting. The meeting will be attended by the representatives of various apple growers associations,” said Sanyukt Kisan Manch (SKM) convener Harish Chauhan. Various apple growing organisation have been protesting the rising input costs under the banner Sanyukt Kisan Manch.
“The SKM has been submitting memorandums to the government over the last one year but to no avail. Following huge protests on July 11 and July 20, the government has finally invited us for a meeting,” said SKM co-convener Sanjay Chauhan.
In a meeting held today, the SKM has agreed on a 20-point demand charter that it will discuss with the government in the July 28 meeting. The major demands include ending GST on packaging material of apple and vegetables, rollback of price hike in trays, implementation of the Kashmir-like MIS scheme, raising import duty to 100 per cent, selling apple and other produce on the basis of weight, resumption of subsidies on fertilizers and pesticides, etc.
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