An Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee delegation led by its president Pritam Singh, called on the Governor Krishan Kant Paul and submitted a memorandum to him regarding the problems being faced by farmers.
The PCC president said that farmers across the nation are agitating due to various issues. Compared to the industrial sector, the agriculture sector provides five times more employment opportunities. Despite this, the farmers are suffering due to the burden of bank loans. Under burden and pressure from banks to repay loans, an average 35 farmers commit suicide in the nation every day.
Referring to the suicide of a farmer recently in Pithoragarh district, he said that farmers in Uttarakhand were also facing problems. He recalled that the present state government, in its vision document during the election had promised loan waiver and interest-free loans for farmers, along with clearance of sugar cane farmers’ dues in 15 days. However, the government is now going back on its words, said Singh. In the memorandum submitted to the governor, the PCC has demanded that the government fulfil its loan waiver promise and also provide interest-free loans to farmers in the future. Demanding Rs one crore compensation for the bereaved family of the farmer who committed suicide in Pithoragarh, the PCC memorandum also seeks various other measures in the interests of farmers in the State.