NEW DELHI: Farmers' organizations under the umbrella of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) have announced plans for an all-India march, known as the Kisan Yatra, which will take place from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in February and March.
The purpose of this march is to put pressure on the Union Government to legalize the Minimum Support Price (MSP), implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission to ensure that farmers receive a price 50% above the cost of production as MSP, and to provide complete debt relief for farmers.
According to Jagjit Singh Dallewal, national coordinator of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the Kisan Yatra will commence in the first week of February in Kanyakumari and conclude in Srinagar, Kashmir.
"During this journey, we will organize 'Kisan Panchayats' across the country to mobilize grassroots support. We will collect millions of village-level resolutions in favor of these demands and present them to the Prime Minister during a grand Kisan Mahapanchayat scheduled for March 19 at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi," Dallewal stated.
He previously undertook a 132-day fast in Punjab, demanding a legal guarantee of MSP.
Additionally, a delegation from SKM is set to meet with the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee in Panchkula tomorrow, January 9, to discuss agricultural issues.
Following this meeting, the delegation will also meet with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture.
Farmers' leaders have criticized a recent comment by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who stated that increasing crop yields indicate the prosperity of Indian farmers.
"Farmers are trapped in a vicious cycle of debt," SKM leaders said collectively. "To service their mounting debts and manage rising input costs against falling crop prices, farmers are forced to use excessive fertilizers and intensive technology to maximize yield out of sheer desperation," they added.
The SKM (Non-Political) asserts that increased production is a sign of financial distress and a struggle for survival, rather than a sign of happiness or wealth.