SHIMLA:  State government has sought 10-day time to address the problems and issues raised by the Syunkt Kisan Manch(SKM) after the government officials had parleys with 30 representatives of the Manch. However,  if the government fails to implement  the 20-point charter of demand, the farmers will start Jail Bharo Andolan on August 16, declared SKM.    

The government had invited the SKM representatives for talks after thousands of farmers staged a massive protest march on August 5 and laid siege near the Secretariat.

SKM convenor Harish Chauhan and co-convenor Sanjay Chauhan said here that the SKM rally was a complete success and the government is under pressure to accept the 20-Point charter of the demands, which was  submitted to the Chief Minister on July 28.

As many as 30 representatives of all the constituent organizations of the SKM participated in this meeting with Chief Secretary, Secretary of Agriculture Department, Secretary of Horticulture Department, Managing Director of HPMC, Marketing Board.

The farmers raised  20-point charter of  demands for discussion.

But during the discussion it emerged that the officials could not talk about implementing any of the demands at the ground level.

They gave only empty assurances and the government  sought 10 more days to implement these demands.  But SKM will launch the Jail Bharo Andolan on August 16 if the government fails to implement the charter of the demands, SKM leaders asserted.

In the meeting, it was clearly visible from the attitude of the officials that the government is not serious about the demands of the farmers and bagwan, SKM said.

SKM said Chief Minister on July 28 himself had accepted that all the 20 demands in the demand letter are valid and the government will implement them soon and provide relief to the farmers.

But  even after a week, none of the demands have been implemented, SKM rued.

SKM constituents  demanded the GST should be abolished on the packaging materials used for agriculture and horticulture, including cartons and trays.

The government which has decided to return 6 percent GST at present is cumbersome.

The process laid down by the government is extremely complex and will cause trouble to lakhs of gardeners. Small and marginal gardeners will suffer the most in this.

In the meeting of SKM they demand the government should  reduce the price of cartons in the market  and return the GST to the carton manufacturer after proper investigation of the GST e-Way bill.

This will also check the evasion of GST and the revenue of the government will also increase. With this, the farmers also get relief.

Apart from this, the representatives also demanded strict implementation of APMC Act, 2005 in all the mandis in the state.

SKM said the government was apprised that hundreds of crores of rupees are being looted every year from lakhs of growers with the connivance of APMC and arhtiyas and buyers.

In the mandis, illegal deductions ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 150 per box are made in the name of labor, exemption, back charges etc, SKM charged. The labour charge of 20 kg box has been fixed only at Rs 5 per box by APM, SKM said.

Apart from this, the officials could not give any satisfactory answer on ban on illegal market fees being taken from farmers and gardeners at Shoghi and other check posts.

SKM reaffirmed that  apples and all other agricultural products should be sold per kg weight.

On this officials assured that selling apples by weight would be started in Kinnaur's Tapri Mandi from this year and gradually it would be implemented in all the Mandis.

Chief Secretary assured that the government would take up the issue with the Central Government to implement Mandi intervention Scheme (MIS) on the lines of Kashmir and to increase the import duty on apples to 100 percent.

On the demand of farmers to waive off  the loan taken by the farmers and withdrawal of notice of recovery of the loan, the Chief Secretary assured that the demand of loan waiver will be kept before the government as it is a policy decision.

As far as the notice issued by the bank for recovery of loan, the government will issue an order to stop this.

In the meeting, the Chief Secretary informed that a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor of Dr YS Parmar university of horticulture and Forestry, Nauni to fix the rates and monitor the purchase of apples in the CA stores of Adani and other companies, in which representatives of the growers along with other officers of the department will be included.

In the meeting, the Chief Secretary informed that under the Mandi intervention Scheme (MIS), the amount has been released for the payment of apple procurement by HPMC and HIMFED.

These all will be paid from next week. In future HPMC and HIMFED will pay in cash only. No one will be forced to take goods against apple dues, Chief secretary assured SKM.

But the SKM representatives said that the government has not implemented these assurances on the ground.