In view of the consecutive failure of three crops the Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha has demanded an immediate supply of seeds and fertilisers to the farmers and universalisation of PDS in the hill State.
Speaking after the State conference the newly elected office bearers of Kisan Sabha said the farmers haven’t received any compensation for the repeated crop failures. They added that the farmers are suffering a cut in the quota of ration from 35 kgs to 25 kgs per family per month.
State President Kuldeep Tanwar said the farmers association organised mass demonstrations on Tuesday in all sub divisions, blocks and district headquarters against the anti farmer policies of State and Central governments. The Kisan Sabha leaders while addressing rallies at various places raised the issues of wild animal menace , regularisation of encroached lands by small and marginal peasants in the State, rationalisation of timber distribution policy and all crops being covered under the crop insurance scheme.
Mr. Tanwar added that the Kissan Sabha plans to organise a ‘Jan Sansad’ (Peoples Parliament) of farmers on December 10 in the local Kalibari Hall and a protest demonstration on the national Kisan Day on December 23.
Opposing the Kisan Sabha’s stand, a government spokesman claimed that there was no dearth of seeds and fertilisers in the hill State. He said for the current Rabi season the requirement of 56,729 quintal of wheat seed was received against which 81,423 quintals had been supplied to farmers. Besides about 10,000 quintal seeds of oil seeds, pulses, fodder, vegetables and potato had also been supplied during this season.
The government supplied Rabi seeds on 50 percent subsidy to provide relief to farmers in view of the consecutive crop failures, he claimed.
