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Farmers disrupt rail traffic Amritsar, September 29 Hundreds of farmers, including women, from different districts held protests blocked rail track and threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands were not met. Holding banners they protested against the ill-conceived policies of the Central Government. They also raised slogans against state government and demanded immediate implementation of their demands. Earlier, in the morning the farmers from far flung places Faridkot, Moga, Gurdaspur and Bathinda districts marched in a protest rally from Guru Nanak Bhavan towards the railway tracks. Passengers of both trains faced inconvenience due to the blockade. A heavy police force was deployed to prevent any untoward incident. Addressing the farmers the manch convener, Mr Kanwaljit Singh Pannu, said the state government was formulating anti-farmer policies. Lashing out at the government, they said the state should help the farmers by waiving loans pending against them. Leaders of the Kisan Sangarsh Committee, the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta and the Punjab Kisan Sabha also addressed the farmers. MOGA: Hundreds of activists of the Kirti Kisan Union and the Pendu Majdoor Union on Thursday blocked traffic at Jalalabad east on the Moga-Jalandhar road and disrupted traffic for about a couple of hours. Women too participated in the blockade. Addressing the protesters, the Kirti Kisan Union leaders, Mr Nirbhay Singh Dhudike and Mr Devinder Singh Ghali, demanded to waive the power bills of the farmers. They demanded canal water free of cost to the farmers and urged the state government to provide free power to landless farmers and economic weaker sections of society. Mr Megha Singh of Pendu Majdoor Union also addressed the protesters.  |
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MSP for rabi crops up by Rs 10 New Delhi, September 29 The MSP for wheat, the main rabi crop, has been increased by Rs 10 over previous year at Rs 650 per quintal for the Rabi of 2005-06. Barley price has also been raised by Rs 10 to Rs 550 per quintal. Experts said the hike in MSP were marginal and were not in real terms considering the rate of inflation, increase in production and labour costs. The minimum support prices for both gram and masur has also been increased by Rs 10 per quintal at Rs 1,435 and Rs 1,535 per quintal, respectively. The MSPs for rapeseed/mustard and safflower have been increased by Rs 15 per quintal each. The new support price for rapeseed/mustard and safflower would be Rs 1,715 and Rs 1,565 per quintal, respectively for the next rabi season. The prices of other oilseeds belonging to the rapeseed /mustard group would be fixed on the basis of their normal market price differentials with rapeseed / mustard. NAFED would continue to be the nodal agency for procurement of oilseeds and pulses and losses, if any, would be fully reimbursed by the Government of India. All MSPs for various crops have been recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The government has fixed these prices despite several farmers’ organisations, including the Bhartiya Kisan Union, had represented the government for increasing the MSP as unscientific fixing of MSP has resulted in several farmers falling into severe debt trap and committing suicides. The committee headed by Ram Gopal Yadav had observed that the government should ensure that the MSP is fixed slightly higher than the cost price recommended by the state governments which in turn is based on the
actual experience of agriculturalists as well as the considered views of universities and experts so that the farming community, which gives employment to 60 per cent of the people in the country “gets a fair deal.” |
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