Farmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) during 'Kisan Mahapanchayat', at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
NEW DELHI: Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) – a collective of farmers' unions, has decided to hold a Mahapanchayat (assembly) at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on 20 March, reviving their old demands of addressing the farm crisis.
The SKM demand that the Union Government fulfil the commitments it had given in writing to SKM on 9 December 2021. The SKM had signed on the five-point government proposal to end the year-long farmers' protest at the border of Delhi.
Besides the legal guarantee of minimum support price(MSP), the SKM demand includes the procurement of all crops, loan waiver, pension for farmers and agricultural workers, demanding a pro-farmer policy for insurance claims of the damaged crops, withdrawal of Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, and dismissal of the minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni from Union Ministry for his role in Lakhimpur Kheri infamous killing of farmers.
The SKM asked for a legal guarantee MSP for all crops, using the C2 + 50% formula, based on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission. The SKM alleged that the government constituted a committee on MSP, and its stated agenda is contrary to the farmers' demands.
Farmers' organisations termed the current agriculture insurance scheme PMFBY ineffective. Therefore, they demand a universal and comprehensive crop insurance scheme.
The SKM also demanded a farmers' pension scheme of ₹ 5,000 per month to all farmers and agricultural labourers and immediate withdrawal of cases registered against the farmers n BJP ruled states and other states and Union Territories.
They also demand the allocation of land to construct a memorial for the martyred farmers at Singhu Morcha, outskirts of Delhi-border.
