ONGOLE: “Central and State governments are showing step-motherly affection towards the agriculture sector and they are not at all interested in implementing the several institutional policies and schemes designed for the welfare of the farmers’ community in the country.
It is evidently known to us from the history, that no government came forward to solve the problems of the agriculture sector and farmers in the previous years too, unless and until our farmers’ associations, along with organisations and political parties, with similar ideology, held many agitations and movements. So, now also to get rid of all the problems of the agriculture sector, farmers of all districts and states should be united and should come to one platform to fight against these anti-agriculture, anti-farmer policies of the governments and then only some relief will come,” Yerneni Nagendranath, along with other leaders of various farmers’ associations unanimously stated. They all met at a private conference hall here on Sunday and discussed ‘Crisis of the agriculture sector and steps to be taken by the government’.
Along with Nagendranath, Prasangi Rambabu, ‘Saagubadi’ in-charge, Dr Kollam Rajamohan of Nallamada Rythu Sangham, N Venugopala Rao, retired professor of Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Chunduri Ranga Rao of Prakasam Zilla Abhivruddhi Vedika, Ch Seshaiah of Acharya NG Ranga Kisan Samstha, Chavali Sudhakara Rao, State vice-president of Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR), Annem Kondala Rayudu of Aqua Rythu Sangham, V Rajagopal Reddy of Kisan Congress, T Hanumantha Rao, AP Rythu Sangham district president and others spoke on various problems of the farmers’ community.
They discussed 13 topics, including the lack of provision of quality seeds, high yielding crop varieties, supply of irrigation water at least one time for all crops, market intelligence, marketing problems with no MSP, eucalyptus-subabul farmers’ problems, virginia tobacco farmers’ issues, problems in getting crop loans, dairy farmers’ issues, Bengal gram farmers’ problems etc., pertaining to the agriculture sector, in this meeting. Finally, all the leaders unanimously agreed to take up a serious action plan to create more awareness among the farmers’ community by conducting extensive campaign programmes in the villages, as that was the need of the hour and all the farmers’ unions must be on the job by this month end, the meeting decided.
“With agitations and anti-government movements only we can get some benefits and welfare acts from these governments. So, we have to take up these activities by forming joint action committees (JACs) locally as early as possible,” farmers’ association leaders said.
Chunduri Ranga Rao presided over the meeting and demanded that government initiate discussions on farmers’ issues in Parliament and the State Assembly. All the agriculture related issues should be often raised on the Assembly / Parliament floors, which in turn will get some attention of the policy makers,” Ranga Rao said.