Farmers launch stir over price, pension and prestige

Bhubaneswar: Demanding price, pension and prestige, thousands of farmers under the banner of Navanirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS), a farmers' outfit, have resorted to an agitation from Gajpati district.

The agitating farmers congregated at the district headquarters in Paralakhemundi, staged a demonstration and later gheraoed the Collector office yesterday demanding proper price for their produces, pension and prestige for them.

The agitators have also demanded creation of a special corpus fund for farmers and allocation of Rs 21,600 crore in the budget for 2018-19.

The members of the outfit also called upon the farmers to put pressure on the State government for fulfillment of their demands.

“The farmers alleged that the BJD government has neglected the farmers’ collective interest and remained indifferent to their demands. Hence, Navanirman Krushak Sangathan has decided to fight a battle for the farmers’ rights,” said a member of the outfit.

Sangathan coordinator Aksahya Kumar said, “There is lack of irrigation facilities, market linkage and Mandis in every district. Farmers are not getting proper price for their produce. We demand Rs 5,000 per month as pension for each farmer which comes to around Rs 21,600 crore annually for nearly 36 lakh farmers in the State.  The Sangathan would continue their stir until 70 per cent of farmers in the State are not rehabilitated.”