Farmers’ wishlist for State Budget: Insure lives of all farmers and crops

Farmers’ federation has urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to provide an insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh for all farmers in Karnataka on the lines of the policy in Telangana

The Federation of Karnataka State Farmers’ Associations has urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to provide an insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh for all farmers in Karnataka on the lines of the life insurance policy extended to farmers in Telangana.

In a letter to the Chief Minister ahead of the State Budget, Association President Kurubur Shanthakumar said the life insurance policy will help the families of farmers dying unexpectedly due to an accident or by suicide receive the compensation amount.

The life insurance policy of Telangana government covers all farmers aged between 18 years and 60 years.

Mr. Shanthakumar, who is also the President of Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, urged the government to remove the ceiling on purchase of agricultural produce under the minimum support price policy.

He said there was no ceiling on the purchase of agricultural produce at the procurement centres set up in Punjab, Haryana, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. The ceiling fixed at the centres in Karnataka should be done away with, he said.

The government should also come out with a policy for purchase of all the nutritional food grains grown by the farmers of the State under the minimum support price policy, he added.

The government should also purchase the commodities produced by the Farmers’ Producer Organisations and use the same for consumption by its agencies, including students’ hostels, jails, hospitals etc, Mr. Shanthakumar said.