A demonstration was staged by farmers and other local people of Remuna under the banner of the Samajvadi Krushak Sabha in front of the Remuna block office on Tuesday. The agitation was headed by their leader Arun Jena and a 21-point charter of demands was placed mainly concerning protection of farmland and farmers.
The memorandum was submitted to the local administration for the Chief Minister and Prime Minister demanding their intervention in the issues.
With slogans on “price, prestige and pension for farmers”, the agitators demanded minimum support price for paddy at Rs 3,000 and a bonus of Rs 300 per quintal and monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to old peasants.
They also demanded drought-affected status for Sadar and Remuna blocks of Baleswar district and Rs 5 lakh as compensation by the State and Central Government each for every farmer who committed suicide on account of crop failure.
The other demands included establishment of agriculture- based industries, local employment, lands to the genuine landless, BPl status for poverty-stricken people and covering them under the IAY, Mo Kudia and other such poverty alleviation schemes.
They further demanded renovation of the British time Coast Canal for its use for inland waterway and irrigation.
