MYSURU: With the recent steep hike in fertiliser prices triggering concerns and complaints from farmers over vendors selling the old stock at new prices and hoarding, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) said they are stepping up their opposition against the hike. Major fertiliser makers in the country, including Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), had announced a steep hike in excess of 45-58 per cent on the commonly used fertilisers recently. “The move will hurt farmers.
The government seems to have lost its concern for the farmers. The government has to roll back the decision to hike fertiliser prices,” said Badagalpura Nagendra, president of KRRS. He said farmers will picket residences and offices of MPs to put forth their demands. Protests will be held at the taluk and district level too, but by strictly adhering to Covid protocols, he added.
With the spike in Coronavirus cases and restrictions on public movement, Nagendra urged the government to increase the annual work hours under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREG S) to 200 hours. He said the scheme helped many stuck in rural areas after the last wave of the pandemic and lockdown.
With a similar situation looming, an increase in annual work hours is imminent. He called for including agriculture work under NREGA. He demanded that suo motu cases be filed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for violating Covid safety norms during poll rallies.