Stories
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Urges Farmers: Come to Delhi for Talks, Not Protests
- •Union Minister Pralhad Joshi appealed to Karnataka's sugarcane growers to come to Delhi for discussions on their demand for a higher Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), assuring them the Centre is ready to hear their grievances.
- •Joshi's appeal comes as the Karnataka State Raitha Sena planned a protest in Hubballi, with farmers marching towards his residence and office demanding a remunerative price for sugarcane and implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations.
- •The Minister highlighted that farmer leaders had met him in February, leading to a ’365 increase in FRP in May, and reiterated the Narendra Modi government's commitment to increasing FRP annually.
- •Joshi explained that FRP determination involves inputs from a price-fixing committee and state governments, not solely the Centre, and offered to facilitate direct interaction between farmer leaders and officials in Delhi.
- •He emphasized the government's openness to further discussions and its serious consideration of farmers' concerns, acknowledging their crucial support.
Key Questions Answered
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi appealed to Karnataka's sugarcane growers to come to Delhi for discussions instead of staging street protests, assuring them that the Centre was ready to hear their grievances and facilitate direct interaction with officials.
Led by organizations like the Karnataka State Raitha Sena and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, farmers are planning protests demanding a higher remunerative support price for sugarcane, the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, a minimum sugar price of Rs 50 per kg, and an immediate second instalment of Rs 300 per tonne for the previous season.
Pralhad Joshi explained that the Centre does not determine the Fair and Remunerative Price alone; the process involves inputs from a price-fixing committee, a state-level Cane Commissioner, and detailed recommendations obtained from state governments.
