Raj govt must take up plight of farmers or face MP, Maha

BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari today warned that Rajasthan will smolder like Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, if the state government "fails" to take up the plight of farmers.
The government should waive loans of poor farmers and provide incentives to the agriculture sector as it has given to "rich corporate houses", he told reporters here.
"There should be time-bound free electricity facility for cultivation and agriculture should be included in the MGNREGA," Tiwari said.
A strong critic of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje after the BJP served him notices for anti-party activities, Tiwari said as a "well-wisher" of the state government, he has warned the leadership that the situation can turn ugly any day.

"Farmers in Rajasthan are the worst affected in the country. Nearly 22 per cent farmers have left farming. They are forced to sell onion at Rs 2 per kg, garlic at Rs 5 per kg and mustard at Rs 500, less than the MSP," Tiwari said.
There are water issues and farmers are protesting everyday, he claimed.

The senior leader also opposed the Rajasthan Special Investment Region (SIR) Bill, 2016.
"The Bill is a conspiracy to acquire lands of peasants to let corporates flourish. I had opposed it in the assembly for 50 minutes, but it was still passed," he said.

He said the SIR notification will allow the state government to acquire land in any part of the state to announce it as a special investment region.
"Whether it is pasture land, 'khatedari' land of a farmer or residential scheme in any village or town, it can be acquired through SIR. To facilitate corporate house, large chunks of land can be acquired in Alwar, Neemrana and Bhiwadi," he said.
He accused the government of "strangulating" farmers for industries through SIR.