Maharashtra farmers begin indefinite strike for their various demands.
Farmers in Maharashtra have started indefinite strike to press their various demands from midnight. They are gathering in a large number on state and national highways and unloading trucks heading to Mumbai and Pune to throw agriculture produce, especially fruits, vegetables, and milk on the roads to protest against the government inaction.
The list of demands include crop loan waiver, implementation of Swaminathan Commission report and pay support price more than one and half times of the production cost, provide an interest free loan, introduce pension scheme for farmers after he turns 60, pay Rs 50 per litre for milk, uninterrupted and adequate power supply to agriculture and 100% subsidy for drip irrigation.
On Monday, talks were held between the farmers and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, no consensus was reached.
A state government official told DNA ‘’The government is keeping a close eye on the movement of fruits and vegetables and milk from various districts. Besides, the district collectors have been asked to take necessary steps to maintain law and order and smooth flow of milk and fruits and vegetables to Mumbai. Additional police personnel will be deployed to avoid violence.’’
First, a group of farmers on Pune-Bengaluru national highway stopped two trucks carrying milk of a cooperative society heading to Mumbai. Similarly, on Pune-Nashik highway the farmers stopped trucks carrying vegetables while unloaded milk tanker in front of Shirdi bus depot. Some farmers also unloaded and threw milk on Ahmednagar-Manmad road.
The police have nabbed eight persons who tried to stop the trucks carrying vegetables and milk near Lasalgaon on the Nashik Aurangabad highway.
In Sangamner town of Ahmednagar district, former state agriculture minister Balasaheb Thorat has extended his support to the farmers strike and a group of farmers led by him hit the road to press for their demands.
Functioning of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) has come to a halt as the most of the farmers refrained from participating in trade.
Supply of fruits and vegetables and milk to Mumbai may cripple as more and more farmers are joining the protest. Mumbai needs 55 lakh litre of milk per day of which 12 lakh litre comes from Kolhapur, 10 lakh from Ahmednagar, 15 lakh litre from Gujarat and 3 lakh litre from Karnataka.
In Ahmednagar district alone there are 3,500 milk collection centres and 500 chilling plants which are also closed.
Further, from Nashik alone 160 lakh ton of vegetable is daily transported to Mumbai. It is expected to affect.
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghantana (SSS), the BJP’s ally in Maharashtra, has come out in open to support the farmers.
SSS spokesperson Yogesh Pande insisted that the government should immediately intervene and meet the various demands made by farmers. ‘’Farmers are in distress and therefore they have for the first time decided to go on strike. The timing is crucial as the sowing operation may also affect and this may lead to a major crisis.’’
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "maha farmer")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}