The Left-affiliated All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has threatened to block milk supplies to Mumbai, Pune and other big cities across Maharashtra unless the State government took notice of the problems plaguing dairy farmers in the State.
Ajit Nawale of the AIKS said in Sangli on Monday that the government had not made good its promise of increasing milk procurement prices to ₹27 a litre, and milk cooperatives too were not paying farmers at the new rates promised by the State.
Last week, the AIKS had announced in Mumbai that milk producers would distribute free milk from May 3 to 9 in government offices throughout the State as a sign of protest against the failure to ensure provision of the minimum support price (MSP) to farmers.
“If the State government does not take our satyagraha seriously, we will halt milk supply to all big cities in the State after May 9. We will also ensure that supply from other states does not reach cities in Maharashtra,” threatened Mr. Nawale.
Following agitations by farmers in June last year and the long march in March this year, a rattled BJP government had promised to raise the price from ₹24 to ₹27 per litre.
“Yet, milk prices are plummeting daily, forcing farmers to sell it for as low as ₹16-17 per litre. Milk cooperatives are not paying the promised ₹27 per litre. Farmers cannot, and will not, bear a loss of ₹10 per litre due to the government’s failure to fulfil promises,” said Mr. Nawale.
He alleged that the BJP government had no proper records or figures of the procurement and distribution of milk in the State.
Mr. Nawale reiterated the AIKS’s determination to go through with their proposed agitation on June 1 as it remained dissatisfied with the government’s efforts to implement its assurances given to farmers’ demands after the conclusion of the long march’ from Nashik to Mumbai last month.
The demands include complete farm loan waiver, forest land rights and immediate implementation of the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission to improve agriculture produce.
The AIKS, along with like-minded farmer outfits, propose to gherao government offices across Maharashtra on June 1.
