LIC agents' state conference begins

In his inaugural address, MP and the President of the LICAOI Basudev Acharia expressed his apprehension over India losing its food sovereignty.

“We are in a situation to import essential commodities like rice and sugar after a gap of 20 years,” he said.

The prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing. The market price of rice has crossed Rs 25 while a kg of tomato costs Rs 20. The benefit that should reach the farmers are being reaped by the middlemen. A farmer who sells one quintal of sugar cane at Rs 129 is forced to purchase a kg of sugar at Rs 40. How can farmers continue to grow sugar cane? he questioned.

Terming the developments as “the ill-effects of the free trade policy adopted by the Centre in 1991”, Acharia said the actual victims of the situation are poor people who constitute more than 50 pc of the total population.

“When people all over the nation are experiencing the heat of price rise, the Union Agriculture Minister tries to wriggle out of his responsibility saying that it is the responsibility of the state governments to control price rise,” Acharia criticised.

Centre for Indian Trade Union Congress (CITU) State President B Madhava focussed on the possible demerits of the privatisation of the insurance sector. LICAOI State President F S Sindagi presided. Earlier, Vice President S G Pampanna hoisted the flag.

The programme that was scheduled to begin at 10 am, commenced at 11.15 am. However, it was formally inaugurated by 1 pm.