Demanding the release of pending wages under MGNREGA and declare the State as drought-hit, farm workers from across Dharwad district took out a protest march and staged a demonstration in Dharwad on Friday.
The protest march taken out under the aegis of All India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sanghatan (AIKKMS), began from Kadapa Maidan and covered the thoroughfares of the city before reaching office of the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat, where the dharna was staged.
Addressing the protesters, president of the Dharwad district unit of AIKKMS Deepa said that following the delay in the southwest monsoon, which then became weak in the months of June and July, many districts in the State received scanty rainfall. Consequently, farmers who opted for early sowing suffered loss due to deficit rain, she said.
Ms. Deepa pointed out that prices of sowing seeds and fertilizers have increased and invariably, farmers have taken loans to meet farming expenses. Scanty rainfall has put them in distress and they are now unable to repay loans. Such being the case, the government is yet to declare the State as drought-hit, she said.
District secretary of AIKKMS Sharanu Gonvar said that farmers in distress are hoping for help from the State government in the form of a bailout package, after the State is declared drought-hit.
MGNREGA wages
Mr. Gonvar said that as farm activities have dipped, farm workers have become dependent on MGNREGA, which unfortunately is not being taken up. “What is worse is that job cardholders have not received their wages for the last two months, making their life miserable,” he said.
The protestors subsequently submitted a memorandum to Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer T.K. Swaroopa seeking fulfilment of their demands.
Responding to their plea, she assured them of holding a meeting of panchayat development officers and resolving the issues concerning MGNREGA works. She also assured them of issuing new job cards soon.
