Farmers to stage Jail Bharo protest in Belagavi today
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha demands a sugarcane price of Rs 5,500 per tonne.
Farmers in Belagavi will hold a ‘Jail Bharo’ protest at Gurlapur in Mudalgi taluk on November 2, according to a report by Deccan Herald. Hasiru Sene State president Chunappa Pujeri stated that the agitation is a demand for a sugarcane price of Rs 5,500 per tonne.
Pujeri said the farmers want sugar factories to pay Rs 4,500 per tonne, with the State government providing a support price of Rs 1,000 per tonne. He alleged that both the State and Central governments have failed to address these demands despite more than a month of protests.
Pujeri claimed that Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore in taxes are generated from sugar and its by-products. He named Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, and sugar factories as the accused in this matter.
Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said sugarcane farmers should engage in talks to resolve the issue. He noted that a permanent solution requires the Centre to increase the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar so that factory owners can afford to pay more.
Co-operation Minister Laxman Savadi urged the Centre to announce the MSP for sugarcane quickly to allow harvesting to begin. He noted that water shortages are becoming severe and mentioned that Maharashtra has already introduced load-shedding due to water scarcity.