Vijayapura: The Federation of Karnataka Farmers’ Association and Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association has said that it has prepared a twenty-point manifesto and announced to vote only to those parties that are ready to work according to the manifesto for the farmers.
Addressing mediapersons on Friday April 28 Kurubar Shantakumar, the State President of the Federation has accused the political parties of neglecting the interest of the farmers.
Stating that the Federation has prepared its own manifesto for the political parties, he said that they have asked the farmers to vote for the party that seriously considers the demand of the farmers.
Mentioning a few prominent demands included in the manifesto, he urged the political parties to ensure farming law for giving Minimum Support Price to agriculture commodities.
Like the Government employees who get fixed salary, the Government must ensure minimum monthly wage for the farmers to sustain.
The party which comes to power after polls, must ensure 12 hours uninterrupted power to irrigation during the day time.
Like the Government has waived off the loan of corporate companies, the loan borrowed by the farmers should also be waived off.
The Government should ensure disbursement of interest free loans to the farmers.
Changes should be made in the Fasal Bima scheme where all the crops should be considered for applying crop insurance.
Claiming that the majority of the sugar factories are owned by MLAs or elected representatives, Shantakumar demanded the political parties not to give any ministry to any MLA or MLC who owns a sugar factory.
“Because the majority of the sugar factories are owned by the MLAs, they often do injustice to the sugar farmers by not giving justifiable prices to the farmers. Since they are also the law markers, they never like to prepare the law that mandates them to pay more remuneration to sugarcane farmers. Therefore, the political party after coming to power, should not make factory owners Minister,” he said.
