Lok Samiti holds farmers’ conference

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : A day long conference of farmers was organised on the campus of Geeta Mahila Utthan Samiti on November 26, 2018, at Ara under the banner of Lok Samiti, a non political organization founded by Jai Prakash Narayan on June 30, 1977.

Mani Pandey, President, Lok Samiti, Bhojpur unit, presided over the meeting while Shiv Ji Singh, State general secretary, Lok Samiti, conducted it. Satish Girija, state president, Lok Samiti, Jharkhand, Kaushal Ganesh Azad, national organiser, Lok Samiti, and Pravee Kumar Dwivedi, Senior Scientist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ara, jointly inaugurated the function by lighting the candle.

Addressing the farmers, Kaushal Ganesh Azad said that India is an agriculture country and about 65% of its population depends on agriculture and cattle rearing but even after 70 years of independence, no effort is being made for the uplift of farmers and their condition is deteriorating with each passing day. The government announced minimum support price (MSP) for crops but it raised prices of agriculture related tools, equipment, seeds, fertilisers and insecticides making agriculture a non-profitable business and thus farmers are crying under heavy loans and also committing suicide. He demanded implementation of recommendations made in Swaminathan report, adequate compensation to farmers of drought and flood hit areas, and land to landless farmers.

Praveen Kumar Dwivedi referred to different aspects of agriculture and suggest ways to make agriculture profitable. He also highlighted a number of welfare schemes of the government for the farmers and advised them to take advantage of them.