New Delhi, Feb 15, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
Farmers also demand – provide MSP@C2+50% with guaranteed procurement, comprehensive loan waiver, remunerative price to milk, paddy and all other crops, implement LARR Act 2013 to end loot of land for Sagaramala and other Projects, Insurance to all crops and livestock, 200 days’ work and Rs. 600 as daily wage in MNREGS and Rs.10000 as monthly pension to farmers and agri. Workers-
SKM Bihar Mahapanchayat concluded successfully at Masaurti, Patna on 11th February 2025 has called for Continuous Mass Protest- Pakka Morcha on 24, 25, 26 march 2025 at Patna demanding the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to adopt resolution in the State Assembly rejecting the ant-farmer, anti-federal National Policy Framework on Agricultural Market (NPFAM) and to achieve MSP@C2+50% with guaranteed procurement, comprehensive loan waiver among others.
In Bihar, the highest percentage of the population depends on agriculture but the Nitish Kumar Government is highly insensitive towards farmers and agriculture development. The agriculture market system has been privatized by the repeal of the APMC Act in 2006.
There were 95 APMCs in Bihar, out of that, 54 were established with market yard facilities and 41 were run in rented premises. As per the draft NPFAM document, “with the repeal of APMC Act, 41 APMCs running in rented premises stopped functioning and 54 APMCs market still exist, though in a deplorable condition”.
This is the impact of privatization of agricultural markets in Bihar and thus a lesson to farmers and people across the country. At the peak of the legendary farmer’s struggle at Delhi borders, the RSS-BJP leaders and the corporate interest close to the Union Government were spreading the narrative that Bihar’s abolition of the APMC Act was a classic example of deregulating the farm markets.
Bihar farmers are getting the lowest price for all crops including paddy, milk and vegetables. At all India level, the current MSP@A2+FL+50% for paddy is 2300 per quintal but in the absence of APMC markets, farmers in Bihar get only 1800 per quintal, around Rs. 500 less than the national average.
There are widespread corruptions in the Primary Agriculture Credit Society-PACS and the tenant farmers and small farmers are being looted by the intermediaries. The milk farmers get Rs.33 per liter in Bihar while in many States the procurement price for Milk is Rs. 44/ litter.
The Nitish Kumar Government is not willing to redistribute the surplus land to landless in Bihar and implement the recommendations of Bandyopadhyay Committee but thousands of poor and landless are being displaced from their homesteads to clear up government lands marked as ponds, charagarh, gracing land etc. in order to put in a land pool and transfer to big business.
The State Government is not ready to implement the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement- LARR Act 2013 that could provide four-fold compensation over updated circle rate on land being acquired for various projects including Bharatmala and helps the corporate companies not only to loot the land resources of the farmers but has unleashed brutal attacks on farmers including elderly women as in Dousa in Buxar who were protesting against the forceful land acquisition to protect their land.
There is no protection and benefit from any schemes for the tenant farmers under the Nitish Kumar Government. Farmers are facing loss due to repeated flood and drought disaster every year but there is no crop insurance coverage either under the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana- PMFBY or any State Government insurance scheme. Only below 45 days of employment provided under MNREGS in Bihar while the assurance is 100 days.
There would be widespread campaigns in the villages to expose the anti-farmer; anti-worker policies of the Nitish Kumar Government in February and March and SKM appeals to farmers to ensure massive participation in the day and night Continuous Mass Protest- Pakka Morcha Struggle on 24-26 March 2025 at Patna.
The Mahapanchayat was attended by the all India leaders of SKM including Ruldu Singh Mansa, President All India Kisan Mahasabha, Rajan Kshirasagar, President, All India Kisan Sabha(Ajoy Bhawan), P Krishnaprasad, Finance Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha(36 Pt. Ravishankar Shukla Lane), Satyawan, President All India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sanghatan, Rajinder Singh deep Singhwala of Kirti Kisan Union and Dr. Darshanpal President Krantikari Kisan Union.
The presidium of the Mahapanchayat included Umesh Singh, Binod Kumar, Ramachandra Mahato, Nand Kishore Singh, Ram Vriksha Ram,Indradev Rai, and Anil Singh.
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