To press for farmers' demands, including pension and interest free loan, Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha will launch a nation-wide stir on September 1.
"On September 1 demonstrations of farmers would be organised across the country to press for six point charter of demands," ABKS general secretary Atul Kumar Anjan told reporters on Sunday.
The main demand includes pension to farmers at the age of 60 years by the Centre and the states, a grant of Rs 5,000 per family in rural area for sanitation, Anjan said. "We also demand that Union agriculture ministry should be renamed as agriculture development and farmers welfare ministry," he added.
Like Union Railway budget, Agriculture budget should be presented separately in the Parliament so that adequate discussion could be held, he said. "Besides interest free loan should be provided to small, marginal and poor farmers and recommendations of National Farmers Commission should be implemented," Anjan said.
The general secretary said that during winter session in November Parliament would be gheraoed along with other farmer organisations.
Regarding proposed Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, he said that it should be send to standing committee of the farmers which in turn should invite suggestions from all the stakeholders. "Five big meetings should be held by the committee after which the bill should be tabled in the Parliament in November. In between land transfer should be suspended," he said. Compensation should be given from retrospective effect since 1990 when land acquisition started, he said.
"The compensation should not be given to farmers only, but farm labour and artisans should also be included under its purview," he said. Except for hospital, defence, road, agricultural land should not be acquired for industrial purposes, Anjan added.
