State Level #Farmers’Convention by #LokSamiti

10 December 2018, Patna: A state level farmers’ convention was organized by Bihar State Lok Samiti at IMA Hall, Patna. The main speaker of this program was Mr. Girija Satish (National President, Lok Samiti) who called farming as an uncertain occupation with deficit and expressed deep concern over issues like drought-flood including suicide by farmers. He made adverse governmental policies responsible for the mess in agriculture sector which is relied by 60% population, provides livelihood for 50% labour force and contributes about 17-18% to our GDP. He said that people migrated from villages become victims of atrocity-diseases at other places and its necessary to uplift the farmers if we are really intended to develop our country. The national president of Lok Samiti has considered farmers’ disappointments as the government is unable to procure farm products, couldn’t provide them profitable price and failed to irrigate their land through worthless irrigation projects spending millions of rupees. Mr. Girija Satish referred about every year draught in Bihar and complained that the farmers are suffering a lot as they don’t have any crop and lack a viable support system from the government. He stressed upon strong organization of farmers, long-peaceful campaigning for their causes and opined that all farmers belong to one caste i.e., farmer caste and their votes must go to the person or party that can safeguard their interest. He suggested for filling up of Resolution Letter by political parties-candidates and about stake of farmers’ bodies for pricing of agriculture products.

As the chief guest of this convention, Mr. Sachin Sharma (Resident Editor, “Prabhat Khabar”, Patna) has requested all to think over farmers’ problem irrespective of mainstream politics. Mr. Kaushal Ganesh Azad (National Coordinator, Lok Samiti) weeded out about agriculture sector that generates maximum employment but passing through a bad phase. He supported the reccomendation of Swaminathan Committee that suggests for minimum support price as one and a half times more than the cost price of agricultural products. Mr. Vijay Kumar (President, Bihar State Lok Samiti) has chaired the convention and called for the need of non-political movement and benefit of profitable pricing to farmers. The program was anchored by Mr. Sheoji Singh (General Secretary, Bihar State Lok Samiti) who tabled a 15-points letter of demand for the state government.

Bihar State Lok Samiti demanded for market price of paddy, wheat, rabi, pulses, oilseeds, milk etc. as one & a half times more that their cost price, a comprehensive irrigation program through micro irrigation-borewells-canal & value added finishing of incomplete projects, employment oriented program in drought affected areas, 95% subsidy for farmers to install solar pumps and other steps in favor of the peasants. Local community leaders like messrs Raghwendra Prasad Singh (ex-district councillor), Ramayan Singh, Chandrabhushan, Kranti Rasosh, Godawari, Manjushree, Meean Devi, Subodh Pandey, Kalyani Sharma, Parmeshwar Yadav, Mantosh Kumar, Radheshyam Filkus, Satyendra Kumar, Jagannath Singh, Vinod Sharma,  Mani Pandey, Dr. Umesh Prasad, Manti Verma, Ramakant, Shankar Rana, Ray Sunderdev Sharma were other speakers on the occasion. The vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Saudagar Das (Coordinator, BSLS). About 400 farmers from different districts of Bihar have participated in the convention.