Indian Farmer Leader Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary cautions against anti-farmer policies

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Farmers Conclave vow to correct anti-farmers bias in the Economic Policies

NASIK : Bharatiya Krishak Samaj a national farmers organization organized a big farmers meeting under the leadership of Dr.Krishan Bir Chaudhary in Nasik Maharastra.The farmers conclave vowed to oppose any unethical marketing of GM crops in the name of technology.

 

It even reiterated that it will ask government to clarify its policy on GM and demand withdrawal of GM crops on health grounds. The farmer’s conclave blamed the agricultural policies responsible of current plight and the suicides by the aggrieved farming members is testimony of the apathy and duress they are pushed into. Adressing the farmers, Dr. Chaudhary blamed the agricultural policies responsible of current plight and the suicides by the aggrieved farmers is testimony of the apathy and duress they pushed into. He attacked on the corporate model of agriculture and said that farmers centric policies to be adopted by the Govt on an urgent basis. He lamented that the benefit of all the subsidies is going to the corporates, not the farmers. He called for subsidies to be disbursed directly to farmers in their bank accounts and the agricultural loan should be given to all farmers at the rate of interest at 4%. As an immediate strategy to beat recession he called for mobilising youth especially unemployed rural youths should be provided technical and financial assistance for agro-based small scale processing units on war footing. The farmers leader were also critical about the existing policy of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and called for converting the barren land into these zone rather than fertile regions which can supply food.He said that govt.should scrap the policy of SEZs and should promote Agri Export Zones (AEZs) to increase the export of agricultural products Also the President of Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary addressed farmers' conclave in Mangalore in Karnataka. Here are some reports appearing in leading newspapers ---- DECCAN HERALD, Sunday February 8, 2009

 

State-level farmers' convention in Mangalore

 

'India needs farmer-centric economic model'

 

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/Feb82009/district20090207117228.asp DH News Service, Mangalore: India needs a farmer-centric economic model where corporate agricultural model has proved to be a flop, observed Bharatiya Krishik Samaj (New Delhi) President Dr Kishan Bir Chaudhari.

 

He was addressing a large number of farmers during a State-level farmers’ convention organised by Guruvayanakere-based Nagarika Seva Trust and allied organisations at Nehru Maidan here on Saturday.

 

Dr Chaudhari emphasised on the necessity of adopting a natural resource management based agricultural model in the country, where growing organic produces have greater scope. “There is $ 42 million international requirement for organic produces, which is increasing by 15-20 per cent every year. The demand may reach $ 600 million in the years to come,†he explained.

He opposed speedily spreading colonialisation and explained how India is losing its food security in the hands of multinational corporates. “Over 1.6 lakh farmers committed suicide after India singed WTO agreement. When the country already has Seed Act 1968, what is the relevance of introducing one more Seed Bill in the Parliament? It is nothing but auctioning our original rights to the multinationals,†Dr Chaudhari, who is also a member of All India Congress Committee (AICC), observed.

 

Dr Chaudhari, later in a press conference said, there is a necessity of bringing about agricultural export zones in the country in place of special economic zones.

Responding to the farmers’ demands put forward by the convention, District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar said the government needs a little more time to help them out in the manner they expect.

 

However, he reiterated that he is opposed to the 74,000-acre petrochemicals hub proposed in Mangalore. “Being a minister for environment, I am never for any pollutant industry in the coastal belt,†he stressed.

 

In his address, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch national assistant coordinator Prof B M Kumaraswamy said there is a huge gap between the development model of the government and that of the ordinary people.

 

“The present situation is that whenever the government announces a new project, people get apprehensions instead of pleasure. About 78 per cent of people do not find any use in the plans of the corporate sector,†he said. Ms Ummalu, a farmer from Navara village of Belthangady taluk inaugurated the convention. State Biofuel Task Force Chairman Y B Ramakrishna presided.

 

Zilla Panchayat President K P Sucharitha Shetty, MLC M P Nadagowda, G N Nagaraj of CPM, P V Lokesh of CPI, Amaranath Shetty of JD(S) and others responded to the farmers’ demands.

 

Nagarika Seva Trust President K Somanath Nayak, Vice President Vidya Nayak, Congress spokesperson Ivan D’Souza among others were present on the occasion.-----------

 

THE HINDU, February 8, 2009

 

Mangalore likely to be second Bhopal: NGO

 

Staff Correspondent

 

Farmers do not want PCPIR status for the city

 

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/02/08/stories/2009020858300300.htm

 

Mangalore: A convention of farmers here on Saturday urged political parties to ensure that Mangalore was not declared Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR).

 

Nagarika Seva Trust, a Guruvayanakere-based non-government organisation, organised the meet at Nehru Maidan in which representatives of political parties participated. Ummalu, a small farmer from Navura village of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada inaugurated the convention.

 

The convention urged the political parties to prevail upon the Government not to acquire any agricultural land to set up industries under the PCPIR. It demanded that the Government should drop Mangalore Special Economic Zone Project.

 

Trust president K. Somnath Nayak demanded that the coal-based thermal power plant at Nandikoor of Udupi district should be converted into gas based plant. He said Land Reforms Act should be amended and farmers should be supplied with 16 hours of uninterrupted power.

 

Mr. Nayak said it is likely that Mangalore will turn out to be the second Bhopal of the nation due to the concentration of chemical industries.

 

Bharatiya Krishik Samaj president Krishan Bir Chowdhary, in his keynote address said that WTO agreement was against farmers’ interests. He said that if the Cabinet has to accept the report in favour of the GE crops, 65 experiments need to be conducted. “Proper laboratories are not there to conduct those experiments. So how will the Cabinet accept the report?†he said.

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NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, February 8, 2009

 

`Fix Rs 10k as minimum agricultural income'

 

Express News Service

First Published : 08 Feb 2009 04:48:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 08

 

Feb 2009 02:33:51 PM IST

 

 

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?title=%E2%80%98Fix%20Rs%2010K%20as%20minimum%20agri%20income%E2%80%99 & artid=KJxRe4H%7Co2g= & type=

 

MANGALORE: Farmers representatives and members of like-minded NGOs demanded the Central Government to fix a minimum agricultural income of Rs 10,000 per month for each of the small farmers' families, who have 2 to 3 acres of land. They urged the government to workout a plan and to form a committee on the model of pay commission.

 

The demand was made at the state-level farmers' convention 'Save Farm Land- Save Farmers' held at the Nehru Maidan here on Saturday.

 

The convention was organised by Nagarika Seva Trust, Guruvayanakere, Prajadhikara Vedike-Karnataka, Krishikara Vedike-Karnataka, Karavali Mahila Jagruthi Vedike, Dakshina Kannada Parisarasakthara Okkoota and Dalita Abhivrudhi Samiti and over than 300 other organisations from the state.

 

Addressing the gathering, Bhartheeya Krishik Samaj president Kishan Bir Chaudhari urged farmers to unite and fight for their rights.

 

Asserting that farmers are the backbone of the country, he said that governments can't enact or implement anti-farmer policies.

 

He said that farmers have no role in contract farming.

 

Chaudhari alleged that farmer suicides are on rise in India after the WTO agreement was signed.

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