PM urged Loan waiver for Small and Marginal Farmers
Loan-waiver urged for Farmers
(RK Sharan)
Lucknow: Krishi, Udyami Krishak Vikas Chamber (KUKVC), a farmer welfare organization, urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi a loan waiver for small and marginal farmers, who feed the nation risking their lives during Covid-19 outbreak.
The KUKVC executive director (UP, Bihar, Jharkhand) RK Sharan, director general Dilip Sharma and director Rohit Sangwan have written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting for waiving off loans of small and marginal farmers up to Rs. 2 lac each.
Praising the initiative of the Government of India for the development in agriculture sector in terms of growth in output, yield and area under various crops, they said that the government is committed to protect the farmer’s interest as one of the top priorities and dedicated towards doubling the farmer’s income by introducing various innovative strategies and initiatives for the overall development of farmer’s economy.
They said that agriculture and its allied activities act as main source of livelihood for more than 80% population of rural India. It provides employment to approximately 52% of labour, with approx 80 percent of farmers being small and marginal. Its contribution to Gross Domestic product (GDP) is between 14 to 15%.
According to them, since independence farmers in India stayed a neglected community for decades despite their huge contribution to national economy. In last few years sincere efforts have been made to focus on the issues concerning agriculture and farmers for which they are grateful to PM.
During Covid-19 crisis, when the whole country was sitting inside, our farmers in spite of COVID-19 threat looming on their heads, risking their lives had worked tirelessly to feed the people by providing fresh vegetables, fruits & milk.
Agriculture was the one sector of the economy that could keep going despite the lockdown, farmers kept the economic engine going. In spite of problem regarding the movement of perishable products (vegetables, fruits, eggs, chickens, milk, etc.) was stopped abruptly, inflicting massive and non-recoverable losses to the farmers.
The closing down of pesticide and fertilizer shops left the farmers without supplies for pre-harvesting operations. The ban on inter-state movement left many harvesters stranded on the way from states, shortage of farm labour etc.
The farmer of India has always stood with the people of this country in the hour of crisis, they never take the advantage of the situation by hoarding the produce and increase the prices.
“We feel the time has come when the Indian farmer should get its due, we have full confidence and faith in your leadership that Indian farmer, a true warrior in the times of Covid 19 and other difficult times. The government has announced and given a package of Rs 20 Lakh Crore. The farmer should be rewarded for their hard work and hardships they have faced,” they said.
KUKVC, as a farmer welfare organization, is committed to rural development and up skilling of farmers, agriculture & allied sectors through Agriculture Research, Technology Innovation, Financial Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Awareness& Education about various Government Schemes, Sharing Best Practices and to provide an interface with industry partners and other institutions for inclusive growth, at present we have outreach to lacs of farmers, Industry research organisations & scientists.
