Scrap Shanta panel recommendations: Farm bodies

TARN TARAN: Farm leaders held a meeting to discuss the future of farmers in the state, unfulfilled election promises of the Congress and recommendations of the Shanta Kumar Committee on restructuring of Food Corporation of India (FCI).
"Some of our major issues include scrapping of Shanta Kumar Committee recommendations, unfulfilled promise of 100% loan waiver made by the Congress, non-implementation of Dr Swaminathan Commission recommendations and steep hike in petroleum products, which have compounded farmers' problems," said Kissan Mazdoor Sangarash Committee president Satnam Singh Pannu.
If committee recommendations were implemented, he said, farmers would not be able to sell their produce at MSP. Instead, he said, the committee had proposed to give 30% subsidy to state governments to purchase the produce.
"Shanta Kumar Committee recommendations should be scrapped since they were not in favour of farmers in India" he said. He also blamed Punjab government for not fulfilling their loan waiver promise. During a rally attended by family members of farmers from across the state, another farm leader announced the Rail Roko programme in Punjab on October 10.
Addressing the rally, Pandher said the government is yet to make pending payment of Rs 716 crore for sugarcane. Opposing the influence of private players in agriculture, he said as of now, the government has fixed MSP of as many as 23 crops.
They feared that after the implementation of Shanta Kumar Committee recommendations, farmers would be exploited at the hands of private parties.
Another farm leader, Harpreet Singh Sidhwan urged the Punajb government to waive off 100% floans of farmers, implement recommendations of Dr Swaminathan Commission and assure wheat and paddy procurement by government agencies.