Maharashtra government announces Rs 300 per quintal ex-gratia for onion farmers

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced this decision in the state Legislative Assembly and said it will provide relief to onion growers

As the Nashik-Mumbai farmers long march entered the second day on Monday the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 300 per quintal to onion farmers who have been affected by the steep fall of the prices.

However, farmers groups including All India Kisan Sabha said that the compensation is below the expectation.

The development comes a day after Nashik district Guardian Minister Dada Bhuse appealed to farmers to call off the strike and on the eve of the meeting with the duo of Shinde-Fadnavis to resolve the issue.

“The farmers' march would continue on its route to Mumbai until a satisfactory agreement is reached,” AKIS President Ashok Dhawale said.

“The red onion of the Kharif season has arrived in the market on a large scale, there is an increase in onion production in other states in the country. Because of this the supply has exceeded the demand, leading to a fall in the prices,” Shinde told the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Also Read: Centre directs agencies to buy red onion as prices plunge on surplus output

According to him, a government-instituted committee has recommended Rs 200-300 per quintal and the government stands by farmers and decided to give Rs 300 per quintal.

However, the opposition staged a walkout and demanded that it should be Rs 500 to Rs 700 per quintal.

Farmer leaders Jiva Pandu Gavit, seven-time former MLA and Dr Ajit Navale, the general secretary of Maharashtra unit of All India Kisan Sabha, said that their long-march would continue. “The ex-gratia should be at least Rs 600 per quintal,” said Dr Navale.

The AKIS-led long march has a 17-point charter of demands, the most prominent among which was remunerative price particularly for onions, and also for cotton, soyabean, tur, green gram, milk, and hirda. The March demanded Rs 2000 per quintal for onions, and an immediate subsidy of Rs 600 per quintal, along with changes in export policies.

The other major demands were: Complete loan waiver to the peasantry; Waiving of pending electricity bills and 12 hour daily supply of power; compensation by the government and by insurance companies for the damage sustained by peasants due to unseasonal rains and other natural calamities; westing of all forest land, pasture, temple, inam, waqf, and benami land in the names of the cultivators.

Besides, they are also demanding an increase in the PM Housing Scheme subsidy from Rs 1.40 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, increase old age and special pension amount up to Rs 4000 per month; restore the old pension scheme for government employees who have joined after 2005; give 100 per cent grant to partially aided schools; fill all vacancies in government posts; regularise all contract workers and scheme workers as govt employees; and remove bogus Adivasis in government posts and replace them by genuine Adivasis.