Rajasthan farmers threaten to launch state-wide agitation

Farmers in Rajasthan have threatened to start state-wide agitation if their demands were not considered by the state government before August 31.
Over two dozen farmers' bodies under 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' have been raising demands including implementation of M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations, implementation of Farmers Commission-2004 report from August 15, 2007, pass Farmers' Security Act.
Earlier, farmers had postponed their agitation till August 13 following assurances that the matter will be taken up with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
"We want the government to fix 1.5 times value of every crop produce of the farmer, year-long purchase of crop produce at village level and a permanent mechanism for crop purchase. We have given deadline of August 31 failing which we will have no other option to start state-wide movement," saidRampalJat, national president of Kisan Mahapanchayat, a body representing over two dozen farmers' associations.

He said that farmers in the state have agreed to support stage-wise shutdown call from December 15 to 21.
Supply of milk, vegetables, grains and other agriculture goods will be stopped and on December 23, representatives from 45,000 villages will show their solidarity in Jaipur.
Starting September, meetings and awareness rallies will be conducted at district, tehsil and village level, he added.