Farmers’ organisations likely to reignite strike

Nashik: Farmers are likely to go on strike again after getting a copy of the loan waiver GR, according to some farmer organisations. The organisations have objected to the words ‘tatwataha’ (principle) and ‘sarsakat’ (all), which according to them is the same package announced by the CM with Jayaji Suryawanshi, the mediator between the agitating farmers and the government.

Organisations said that very few farmers would stand to gain from the waiver. The farmers’ strike, which began on June 1 was formally stopped on Saturday but markets had already began functioning before the strike concluded. The Shetkari Sanghatana (SS) has strongly opposed the present farmers’ loan waiver scheme announced by the state government, claiming that certain words used in the announcement had created confusion while there were certain conditions to be met by the farmers.

SS president Anil Ghanwat on Monday said that they would minutely study the GR, whenever it is published, and then decide on another strike. Social worker Kalpana Inamdar, too opposed the scheme on Monday during a press meet. She said that a new farmers’ committee could be formed to discuss the issue.

Kisan Kranti also said that it found the words confusing. The outfit’s publicity chief ACP (retd) Chandrakant Bankar said, “We are curious about the conditions. Our major fight is for the needy and poor farmers, who genuinely need the loan waiver,” he said.

SS president Anil Ghanwat said that the words ‘tatwataha’ and ‘sarsakat’ have created confusion. There are certain conditions to be met before a farmer becomes eligible for the loan waiver. We don’t know what conditions have been put forward, till the GR is published. Will the loan waiver be based on land holdings? Will the waiver cover the electric motor or pipe? What about loans on greenhouses, poultry and grape railings? Will they too get a waiver? Nothing is clear,” he claimed.

Ms Inamdar, while speaking during a press meet in Nashik on Monday, said that they were opposed to the ‘loan waiver in principle’ as announced by the government.

“If the government fails to solve the farmers’ issues within 20 days, we will be constrained to form a new committee,” she said.

Mr Ghanwat said that the SS was very clear on farmers’ loans. We don’t want waivers. We want to become capable and the government can put a moratorium on recovery of loans for 10 years. We don’t want any government interference and we should be allowed to sell our produce anywhere,” he said.

Loan waiver committee 

The state government has declared that there will be a committee of farmer leaders as well as officers from the state government to finalise the criteria and details of loan waiver.

The farmers' organisations will give five names from their side while the finance secretary, agricultural secretary and cooperative secretary will also be other members.
The state has requested Yashvant Thorat, ex-chairman of NABARD to be member of this committee. Sudheer Kumar Goyal ex-secretary agriculture and Rajgopal Deora, secretary GAD will also be member of this committee. Mr Thorat, Mr Goyal and Mr Deora had worked on the 2008-09 farmer loan waiver.