Protest staged seeking compensation for red gram affected by wilt disease

Kalaburagi

Members of the District Congress Committee, led by Member of Legislative Assembly Priyank Kharge and the former Minister Sharanprakash Patil, took out a protest rally in Kalaburagi on Wednesday demanding that the State government release compensation to those farmers whose red gram has been affected due to wilt disease.

The Congress leaders took out the rally from the District Congress office and staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office demanding that the State government order a joint survey by the Department of Agriculture and the Revenue Department and announce a compensation of ₹25,000 per acre for farmers who have lost their red gram crop due to wilt disease.

Meanwhile, affected farmers carrying their damaged produce in tractor-trailers reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office to join the protest.

Mr. Kharge and Mr. Patil said that nearly 70% of red gram crop cultivated during the kharif season has been destroyed due to wilt disease. The district administration should immediately order a joint survey by the Agriculture and Revenue departments and compensate the farmers through a special package.

Of the red gram crop taken up in a total area of 4.74 lakh hectares in the district during the kharif season, crop on at least 1.30 lakh hectares was damaged due to incessant rain across the district in July. And, now, standing crop on 1.38 lakh hectares has been affected by wilt disease.

Mr. Patil urged the State government to announce compensation for the affected farmers in the region, without depending on Central government assistance.

Accusing the BJP-led government at the Centre of going back on its promise to implement the recommendations of M.S. Swaminathan report and double farmers income, Mr. Kharge said that the “Modi-led government’s anti-farmer policies are responsible for only doubling the number of farmer suicide cases in the country.”