The Kerala Karshka Sangham (KKS) in a resolution demanded that agricultural loans of farmers in distress in the aftermath of demonetisation should be written off and property attachment procedures against farmers who failed to repay loans be suspended.
The resolution adopted by the State conference of the KKS here on Tuesday said the agricultural sector was the worst affected by the currency shortage caused by the withdrawal of high denomination notes.
The demonetisation only worsened the crisis already being faced by farmers due to the implementation of globalisation policies, the resolution said. The trading of agricultural produces was in limbo across the country because of the currency crisis, it stated adding that the situation had hit the purchasing power of farmers and pushed many farmers into debt trap.
The resolution also noted that the demonetisation had created crisis in agricultural and allied industries. Workdays of agricultural workers had shrunk because of difficulty in paying wages due to currency shortage, it said adding that many States saw increase in suicide of farmers.
The Central government should pay ₹10 lakh each as compensation to families of farmers who committed suicide. The resolution noted that the people in general were in great distress because of restrictions imposed on withdrawal of money from banks. While the Central government called upon people to overcome the crisis by resorting to the system of cashless transactions, it was far from practical in a country having crores of illiterate people.
