Outcry: Punjab Kisan Board warns of sit-ins

The board demanded markup free loans for peasants, flat rates for tube wells

MULTAN: The Punjab Kisan Board has condemned the current government for its failure to protect peasant’s financial interests. The board has warned of sit-ins in front of the provinces assembly house during its budget sessions if the government fails to entertain the demands. They have demanded markup free loans for peasants, flat rates for tube wells and asked for the announcement of support price before the commencement of sowing. The board members stated that the harvesting season had begun in many of the provinces districts from last month but there had been no government intervention for procurement issues until May 5. Punjab Kissan Board Secretary General Arsalan Khan Khakwani highlighted issues on wheat procurement stating that the PML-N policies were destroying the agri-economy. Kakwani said that traders, stockists and the government have enormously disappointed the farmers. The government has thrown farmers at the mercy of the middlemen and they were forced to sell wheat at extremely low prices.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th,  2015.

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