CM may take up ryot’s issues with PM, says Ayyakannu

“We demanded that a welfare assistance be provided to every farmer, who is aged 60 and above irrespective of their dependency status to their kin. We have pledged our lands and jewels to obtain farm loans, and we do not want the banks to auction them. We demanded that the relief money remitted into the farmer’s accounts and other forms of payments should not be put on hold by the banks,” Ayyakannu said.

The Minister through Agricultural Production Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi explained to us that a detailed communication had been sent out to the nationalised banks and other banks on as to how to stop issuing recovery notice and to hold in the accounts, he said. 

“The mortgages would not be auctioned despite the farm loans becoming non-performing assets (NPAs), in the backdrop of the state being declared totally drought hit,” Ayyakannu said quoting the official in detail. 

“We also wanted the government to enhance the State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane considering the surge in input and production costs. The state should implement the minimum support price (MSP) in terms of the recommendations made by the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) headed by eminent agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan. 

The NCF submitted its report to the previous United Progressive Alliance regime in October 2006, which recommended a minimum of 50 per cent profit formula for fixing MSPs. “It was defended by stating that the net take home income of farmers should be comparable to those of civil servants,” he observed.

However, the farmers could not get an audience with the CM. They are hoping that it would be secured, when they come to the Secretariat next week.

The farmers’ leader also warned that they would resort to a stir at Chepauk if their demands were not met within the deadline, and the protest might put the state to shame in the global arena.