Maha farmers to protest from June 1 over 'unresolved' demands

Exactly a year after their historic agitation across Maharashtra, farmers in the state will once again hold protests from June 1 over their various "unresolved" demands like higher milk purchase prices and complete loan waiver.

The decision was announced today after a day-long meeting held at Lakhganga village in Vaijapur tehsil in Aurangabad district.

As part of the protest on June 1, farmers will take their cattle to the tehsil offices to draw the BJP-led state government's attention to their issues.

"We will take our cattle to every tehsil office in the state and tie them up to the gates of these offices. We hope this way we will get the attention of the government towards farmers issues," Dr Ajit Navale, general secretary of Maharashtra State Kisan Sabha said.

"The milk producers have been seeking Rs 27 per litre purchase rate, but the state government has so far not paid heed to the demand. The state has also failed to implement complete loan waiver scheme for the farmers. We have, therefore, decided to protest across the state," he said.

Today's meeting was also attended by two lawmakers- independent MLA from Amravati Bacchu Kadu and CPM MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit from Nashik district.

Last year, farmers had launched an agitation from June 1 to press for their different demands, including that of loan waiver. The stir had disrupted supply of vegetables and other essentials to cities, including Mumbai for some days.

The protest was called off on June 11 after the state government gave a firm assurance of bringing a comprehensive scheme to help the debt-pressed farmers. The government later unveiled a mega Rs 34,022-crore farm loan waiver scheme.