Sugar cane growers to protest against Centre in Delhi

Karnataka Rajya Kabbu Belegarara Sangha will stage a protest against the Union government for neglecting the farming sector in front of the Parliament in New Delhi on March 10, Sangha President Kuruboor Shanthakumar said.

Briefing mediapersons in the city, he expressed concern over increase in farmers’ suicide cases and weakening of farming sector. The loans borrowed by the farmers from all the banks should be waived and the government should implement Dr M S Swaminathan report on farm products, he said.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take a bold decision to take over 20,000 tonne gold in the temples across the country and use it for the welfare of the farmers.

Shanthakumar said the government should reduce the interference of the politicians in the forthcoming taluk and zilla panchayat elections. CCTV cameras should be installed in all the checkposts to check illegal activities.

To solve the problems of Kannadigas in Kasargod, the jurisdiction of in-charge minister for the Maharashtra–Karnataka boundary dispute should be extended to Dakshina Kannada border as well. The government should solve the problems of coconut growers and Neera producers, he added.

The State government should emphasise on constituting farm producers’ company in the coastal district. The Brahmavar sugar factory should be revived and handed over to the farmers to maintain it and the pending arrears for the farmers from the factory should be released at the earliest, he said.

He called upon the farmers to form private companies with the help of Nabard and Horticulture Department to help coconut, rubber and arecanut growers. Last year, Raithamitra Farmers’ Producer Company Limited was set up with a share capital of Rs. 25,00,000, he said.