Representatives of the farmers’ lengthy march on Friday stated they’ve determined to proceed tenting at Vasind village in Thane district, regardless of the Maharashtra authorities’s announcement on growing the subsidy for onion farmers and different measures to pacify the protesting farmers. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had appealed to the farmers, who had began their march from Nashik days in the past, to withdraw the lengthy march.
Shinde on Friday introduced within the Legislative Assembly a rise of Rs 50 per quintal within the subsidy for onion farmers, taking the full assist introduced to Rs 350 per quintal.
The determination was finalised in a gathering a day earlier between authorities officers and representatives of the lengthy march, initiated by former Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA J P Gavit.
Shinde additionally introduced the formation of a committee comprising Cabinet ministers, authorities officers and Gavit, together with present CPM MLA Vinod Nikole, to look into the issues associated to the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in Maharashtra. The committee will give its report inside one month.
An official assertion from the Chief Minister’s Office said that directions have been given to all district administrations for speedy implementation of the choices taken by the federal government, and Shinde appealed farmers to withdraw the lengthy march.
Shinde stated the farmers protest was non-political and contained real calls for. “The demands raised by them are genuine and none of them are walking for personal gains. But the government is positive about the demands and they should withdraw the agitation now,” he stated.
Gavit, nevertheless, stated the march would proceed until there’s precise implementation of the choices and assurances on the bottom. Till then, the farmers will proceed tenting at Vasind village, he stated.
Stating that they don’t seem to be utterly happy, Gavit stated, “After the statement by the CM, he gave orders to the administration for immediate implementation. However, we have told him that till the orders given by him are not followed and implemented on ground, and we get feedback from the villagers about the same, till then we will not move from Vasind. Because there have been past experiences that despite government’s orders, there have been issues in implementation by the administration and hence till we get a report from the villagers about the implementation, we will not move from Vasind.”
Gavit stated representatives of farmers have clearly instructed the CM that the farmers will keep in Vasind for just a few extra days until there’s precise implementation of the orders, and if this doesn’t happen, they are going to head to Mumbai.
“We haven’t received the copy of the statement he has tabled in the Assembly yet. But they are going to send a copy by Saturday morning. We will discuss the assurance tabled in the House with farmers and if they are satisfied with it, then we will decide the future course of action on withdrawing the march,” stated Gavit.
The farmers’ lengthy march, led by the All India Kisan Sabha, halted at Vasind village in Shahapur Taluka of Thane district on Thursday night after the farmers’ representatives acquired an assurance from the CM about all their calls for being accepted.
The farmers have a complete of 14 calls for, together with offering ex-gratia of Rs 500 per quintal to kharif onion, compensation for land acquisition, 12-hour electrical energy provide to farmers, 100% mortgage waiver and implementation of the Forest Rights Act, together with compensation for crop injury resulting from pure catastrophe.
However, whilst Shinde stated the federal government has taken a optimistic determination on the calls for, the farmers expressed their unhappiness, stating that each one calls for haven’t been accepted.
Indrajeet Gavit, AIKS chief and son of J P Gavit, stated,”We had demanded Rs 500 per quintal for onion however they’ve elevated it solely to Rs 350 from Rs 300. Also, the federal government has agreed to solely offering 8-hour energy provide as in opposition to the demand of 12-hour energy provide. We have additionally not acquired a duplicate of the assertion tabled by the CM within the Assembly. After reviewing the copy and checking the implementation of the assurances within the subsequent two-three days, we are going to resolve on shifting from right here. Till then, we are going to camp in Vasind.”
One of the 14 calls for raised by the farmers’ protest march was to place the names of tillers on land data on forest lands as much as 4 hectares. This will probably be among the many points that the state panel on Forest Rights Act will look into. The different points to be mentioned within the committee embody encroachment of forest land, transferring land belonging to temple trusts and grazing grounds to farmers who domesticate the land.
The state authorities additionally accepted a requirement to incorporate tribals, who didn’t get advantages of farm mortgage waiver schemes introduced in June 2017 and December 2019. The chief minister stated the federal government has already introduced a rise within the honorarium of anganwadi staff and ASHA staff within the funds offered final week, and an announcement on filling 20,000 vacant posts of Anganwadi staff may even be made.
“It has also been decided to make a law on giving ownership rights of temple land to those who make use of it and submit it to the Cabinet for approval,” the CMO launch said.