Karnataka farmers to demand better MSP for sugarcane

Bangalore, Jan 7 (UNI) Various Farmers Associations in Karnataka today joined hands to fight for better Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugarcane and paddy and against harassment by private sector banks in the State.

Karnataka Rajya Ryota Sangha (KRRS), which had hitherto remained fragmented, has joined together and resolved in its recent meeting to organise a picket before Rajbhavan here on January 11 to demand better MSP for sugarcane and paddy and to put pressure on the Government to ensure unhindered crushing of sugarcane in the mills across the state.

Briefing newspersons on the future programmes, KRRS Working Committee Chairman Ravivarmakumar said it was decided to reconstitute the Working Committee to include members from all factions.

''We have decided to picket in front of Rajbhavan to protest the Government's inaction in heeding to the demands of sugarcane farmers'', he added.

Mr Kumar said ''the other issue we would be fighting against will be the growing harassment of farmers by private sector banks like ICICI bank, which is resorting to inhuman means to recover the loans taken by the farmers. We want to throw out this bank from the State, as it recently drove two farmers to commit suicide''.

UNI RS MSP KVV SP BD1650