Farmers demand monthly 'minimum take home' income

New Delhi, June 11 (UNI) Accusing the UPA coalition of ignoring the problems plaguing the Indian agriculture sector, farmers today demanded that the community be provided a monthly 'minimum take home' income and the government write-off loans to them for ensuring their survival.

''Policy makers need to understand that it is not the growth in agriculture that is of paramount importance...Unfortunately, the present prescriptions by the government are going to aggravate the agrarian crisis,'' Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers' Movement (ICCFM) National Coordinator Mahender Singh Tikait told a news conference.

The Rs 25,000 crore package announced by Prime Minister Manhohan Singh at the 53rd meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) made no mention of promoting sustainable agriculture and boosting farm incomes, he added.

Pointing out that the income of rural households stood at abysmally low level of Rs 2,115 per month, he said the 6th Pay Commission must make provisions to include farmers in it.

''Growing indebtedness in agriculture is driving thousands of farmers to commit suicide. This is nothing but a manifestation of the declining farm incomes and rising cost of production. The income of rural households has stagnated and is almost hovering around the poverty line,'' he added.

Of this, the income from cultivation is a mere Rs 969 per month, he said .

The farmer leader said credit at higher interest rates by banks is crippling the community.

''Farm credit for small farmers should be made available at four per cent interest. Cooperative credit must get priority over moneylenders and to stem the rate of suicides, the government must immediately write-off the loans of farmers,'' he demanded.

He said the banks should be directed not to confiscate the movable and immovable property of defaulting farmers.

Accusing the government of ''working'' the interest of multinationals, ICCFM member Yudhvir Singh said import of wheat for the second year in the running is a step to ''push farmers out of farming''.

''The implications on the nation's food security are also grave. Imported wheat is also bringing in new weeds, pests and diseases which will adversely affect Indian agriculture. By offering a lower Minimum Support Price (MSP) and resorting to imports to meet the buffer stock requirements, the government aims to dismantle the price and procurement mechanisms,'' he added.

He alleged that ''deliberate attempt'' was being made to subvert the Food Corporation of India and the Public Distribution System.

''Instead of importing wheat at higher price to benefit multinational grain corporations, the government should offer a higher MSP to its farmers,'' he pointed out.

Mr Singh said the Indian agriculture is faceing an unprecedented crisis in sustainability.

''Food grain productivity in the food bowl, comprising Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, is on the decline. The green revolution areas are encountering serious bottlenecks to growth and productivity. The dryland areas (comprising nearly 70 per cent of the cultivable lands) continue to drown in misery and apathy,'' he added.

UNI