Kongu Nadu Munnetra Kazhagam (KMK) has called for a jail bharo agitation on May 27 to draw the attention of the Government towards the demands to protect agriculture.
E.R. Easwaran, general secretary of KMK, said that the focus was now mainly on industrial progress and urban development placing agriculture on back burner. Agriculture land were fast turning into house sites and industrial premises.
Future generations are not interested in pursuing agriculture and the Government is not willing to encourage agriculture. The reason was that agriculture was becoming unviable.
To turn coconut cultivation profitable, permission should be accorded for toddy tapping and copra export should be encouraged.
Sugarcane cultivation would become profitable only if the procurement price was fixed at Rs. 2,500 a tonne.
For dairy farmers, cattle feed should be provided free of cost and poultry should be declared as a farm related activity. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGERS) should be extended to agriculture to tide over the present manpower scarcity.
The jail bharo agitation is aimed at drawing the attention of the Government and political parties to these issues. Mr. Nagarajan, Headquarters Convenor of KMK on Saturday said that discussions were on with Vivasayigal Sangham, Toddy Movement, All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, Nadar Peravai, Kovai Nadar Sangham, Pasumpon Thevar Makkal Iyakkam, Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Moovendar Munnani, Tamil Nadu Thevar Peravai, All India Nadar Makkal Katchi and Pasumpon Thevar Peravai.
