AIKS resents govt apathy towards farmers

- Implementation of Swaminathan panel recommendations demanded

Vijayawada: All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) general secretary Atul Kumar Anjan demanded that the Central and State governments take measures for the implementation of Justice Swaminathan Commission recommendations to check the suicides in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other States.

He said that suicides of famers has been going unabated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka due to failure of the Central and State governments in resolving the problems being faced by farmers.

Atul Kumar Anjan addressed a meeting of farmers conducted by Andhra Pradesh Rytu Sangham, the Andhra Pradesh wing of the All India Kisan Sabha on Tuesday.

Hundred of farmers from all districts of Andhra Pradesh conducted Rytu Yatras in 13 districts and reached Vijayawada on Tuesday. The Andhra Pradesh Rytu Sangham conducted the meeting at Dharna Chowk.

Atul Kumar lashed out at the policies of the Central and State governments being implemented for the agriculture sector. He said the banks are not sanctioning adequate crop loans to the farming community who are depending upon the private money lenders for cultivation of crops. He alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu forcibly taking the lands of the farmers for the construction of capital and other projects like Machilipatnam port.

He demanded Minimum Support Price should be at least 50 per cent more than the average cost of production. He said Justice Swaminathan Commission recommended for good support price to the crops, promotion of commodity-based farmers' organisations.

He expressed concern over farming community further plunge into crises with the demonetization in the country. He questioned how crores of illiterate farmers and rural masses in India can go for cashless transactions when developed countries like USA is not having 50 percent cashless transactions.

The AIKS general secretary felt more than 80 per cent Indians do not know how to keep their mobile in silent mode and questioned how crores of people can use mobile apps for cashless transactions. He alleged that BJP government led by Narendra Modi is anti- farmer and anti-poor and doing nothing for the welfare of farmers and people. He said the demonetisation badly affected the livelihood of crores of people across the country.

CPI State Secretary K Ramakrishna alleged that the State government is forcibly taking lands from the farmers for the construction of Amaravati capital and Machilipatnam port. He called upon the farmers to oppose the decision of the State government on land pooling and forcible acquisition of farmers’ lands. Former Minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, AP Rytu Sangham State president K Ramachandraiah, general secretary K Prasad, farmers’ leader Yerneni Nagendranath, YSRCP farmers’ wing president M V Nagireddy and others spoke on the occasion.