Farmers taking out a tractor rally in Kalaghatagi of Dharwad district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Seeking fulfilment of their various demands, including minimum support price, complete waiver of crop loans and others, scores of farmers took out a tractor rally in Kalaghatagi of Dharwad district on Friday.
The rally was held under the aegis of Samyuktha Kisan Morcha (non-political) from APMC yard to the tahsildar office in Kalaghatagi, in which members of various farmersโ organisations took part.
Leading the agitation, farmersโ leaders Veeresh Sobaradmath Swami, Parashuram Yettinagudda, Ulavappa Badiger, Mahesh Belgaumkar, Vasanth Dakappanavar, Nijaguni Kelageri and others demanded immediate framing of legislation to ensure mandatory minimum support price for farm produce.
They demanded that there should be complete waiver of crop loans and the existing crop insurance policy should be changed to benefit farmers. They also demanded revision of the NDRF guidelines for better compensation for losses during drought, excess rainfall, floods and other natural calamities. Introduction of pension for farmers over the age of 60, utilisation of MPLAD funds for development, and de-silting of tanks and barrages and construction of schools and hospitals in rural areas, were some of their other demands.
The farmers also sought abolition of GST on farm equipment, rescinding of the amendments to the land reform law, which were affecting their future. On reaching the tahsildarโs office, the conveners of the Morcha submitted a memorandum addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad.
