Maharashtra’s farming community turns against state govt as Telangana govt is setting benchmark with its aggressive measures to tackle farmers’ problems
Published Date – Sunday, 30 April 23 at 09:00 AM
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Hyderabad: The situation in Telangana and neighboring Maharashtra is very different when it comes to ensuring the welfare of farmers. As the Telangana government is setting benchmarks through its aggressive measures to tackle farmers’ problems, Maharashtra’s farming community has turned against the state government and staged multiple protests after being denied basic demands like minimum support prices for crops and compensation due to Losses due to natural disasters such as rainfall.
More than 15,000 farmers from Maharashtra trekked from Akole in Ahmednagar to Lone last Wednesday to demand adequate compensation for land expropriation and fair prices for milk, cotton and other crops. Several women also took part in the march, which started with the support of All India Kissan Sabha. With all the attention on the march, Eknath Shinde’s government was forced to negotiate with the farmers.
Earlier, some 20,000 farmers, annoyed at the government’s negligence, set off from Dindoori in Nashik and braved the sweltering heat to make the 200km journey to Mumbai. Chaired by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, the march began on March 13 with many demands, including MSP for onions, free electricity for farmers, quick compensation for crop loss due to erratic rains and forest land rights. In addition to the long march from Nashik to Mumbai in March 2018, farmers tried to organize a similar march to Mumbai in 2019 but were stopped by the police.
The situation in Telangana is in stark contrast. While the Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima schemes ensure financial assistance for relatives of farmers who planted and died, the government has been ensuring that MSPs procure all paddy besides by setting up more than 7,000 procurement centres. After the recent unseasonable rains, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao personally visited four districts to inspect the damage and announced compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre.
Instructions have been given to officials to have the compensation paid directly into their bank accounts. A walkthrough is in progress. Also, the state government is preparing to hand over the Pattas (certificates of ownership) of the Podu land in the forest to the tribes that have been cultivating the land.
