Date:02/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/02/stories/2007110255200700.htm

Karnataka

‘Implement report of Swaminathan panel’

Staff Correspondent

DAVANGERE: All India Kisan Sabha has urged the Government to implement the Swaminathan Committee report in toto to prevent more farmers from committing suicide and also to help them improve their economic conditions.

Talking to presspersons here on Thursday, Gopal, sabha secretary, H.K. Ramachandrappa, Communist Party of India leader, and Huchavanahalli Manjunath, Raitha Sangha leader, said that the Swaminathan Committee report had stated that farmers had been deprived of a right price for their produce.

It had recommended to the Government to fix prices on a scientific basis taking into account the cost of production for each crop.

The committee had recommended scientific price for different crops, including wheat, paddy, sugarcane and hybrid maize, they said. However, the Government seemed to be reluctant to implement the recommendations of the committee.

The National Democratic Alliance Government had implemented a one-time settlement scheme as per the recommendations of the committee. According to the scheme, many farmers who could not repay the loan amount and became defaulters were allowed to pay a certain amount and clear their loan accounts in banks and other financial institutions, they said.

The Kisan Sabha has decided to launch State-wide agitations from November 20 demanding that the Government implement the Swaminathan Committee report.

The Kisan Sabha also demanded that an enquiry be instituted into the alleged misappropriation of funds in the Sanguru Sugar Factory in Haveri district. It said that Rs. 2 crore had to be paid to farmers against sugarcane supplied to the factory. The sabha said that salaries had not been paid since 18 months to the factory employees.