The Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS), an organisation fighting for the rights of farmers, will hold a rally here on January 10 demanding withdrawal of Section 307 (attempt to murder) slapped on 26 of its activists, who were arrested while protesting in front of the cavalcade of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on December 24 last.
It has also decided to launch a Krushak Adhikar Yatra across the State from January 26 demanding fulfilment of the demands of farmers. The Yatra, which would start from Puri, would conclude in Bhubaneswar, where a farmers’ convention would be held on April 1, said NKS State convenor Akshya Kumar here on Monday.
“Though the State Government has announced a Rs 100-bonus per quintal of paddy during procurement, the amount is not enough for the farmers. “We will continue our agitation against the Government till the demand is fulfilled,” said Kumar. He claimed that the Government announced the bonus bowing to the pressure from the NKS.
The NKS has been demanding pension of Rs 2, 000 to every farmer family and an additional Rs 500 as bonus per quintal of paddy.