The conditions of farmers in Telangana and Maharashtra differ when it comes to ensuring their well-being. While the Telangana government is setting a precedent with its proactive measures to address farmers’ issues, the farming community in Maharashtra is up in arms against the State government and has repeatedly staged protests after being denied even basic necessities such as Minimum Support Price for their crops and compensation for damages caused by natural calamities such as rains.
More than 15,000 farmers from Maharashtra marched on foot from Akole in Ahmednagar to Lone last Wednesday, demanding adequate compensation for land acquisition, and remunerative prices for milk, cotton, and other crops. Women also participated in the march, which was organized by the All India Kisan Sabha. Eknath Shinde’s government was forced to initiate talks with the farmers after the march attracted attention from different quarters.
In the scorching heat, about 20,000 farmers protested the government’s negligence and marched from Dindori in Nashik towards Mumbai. Under the aegis of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, the march began on March 13 with a charter of demands, which included MSP for onions, free power for farmers, and speedy compensation for crop losses caused by unseasonal rains. In addition to the long march from Nashik to Mumbai in March 2018, farmers attempted a similar march to Mumbai in 2019, but were stopped by police.
Telangana’s situation contrasts sharply with this. While the Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima schemes provide financial assistance for cultivation and the kin of farmers who die, the government has been ensuring MSP in addition to procuring all paddy by establishing over 7,000 procurement centers.
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Following the recent unseasonal rains, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao personally inspected the damage in four districts and announced a Rs 10,000 per acre compensation. The officials have already been instructed to deposit the compensation directly into their bank accounts. The exercise is currently underway. Furthermore, the state government is preparing to issue Pattas (ownership certificates) for tribals who have been cultivating Podu lands in forest lands.
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