State urges Krushak Sangathan to withdraw stir

Bhubaneswar: The State government today met the agitating Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) leaders and urged them to withdraw their stir.

The appeal was made by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Sanjay Dasburma during a meeting with an NKS delegation led by its coordinator at the Secretariat here today.

The meeting discussed the demands of the association and and resolved to have another meeting on March 26. Sources said that the issue of sacks faced during procurement of paddy from farmers had been resolved.

“They are still on strike and we had a discussion on their demands. The problems faced over the availability of sacks were discussed and the state government has agreed to accept their demands in this regard. On March 26, another meeting will be held in which the secretary of the Food Supplies department, and secretaries of Agriculture, Cooperation, and Fisheries departments will be present,” said Dasburma.

“This is a Satyagraha to make the State government accept the truth that the farmers have committed suicides on account of crop loss and crop loan burden. Secondly, there are no social security provisions for farmers and we want the state government to make such a provision for which a allocation should be made in the budget. If these are not met by March 28, we will continue our agitation and from March 29 we will launch a Jail Bharo stir,” said NKS coordinator Akshaya Kumar.