Union Minister lauds ASR district’s farm convergence model

Farmers are planning a 'Rasta Roko' protest in Belagavi district on Tuesday, following unsuccessful talks with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in New Delhi on Monday. The protest will involve blocking the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway in Hattaragi and Hire Bagewadi. A statewide protest is also scheduled for the following month, according to leaders at the meeting in Belagavi on Monday.

Chunappa Pujeri, leader of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KSSR), stated that the farmers' primary demands were an increase in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for sugar and the Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane, but Joshi refused to address these concerns. Pujeri expressed frustration with Joshi's refusal, noting that the cost of farm inputs has increased threefold in recent years while the MSP for sugar has not been revised in nine years.

The farmers have been fighting for their livelihood and remunerative prices for sugarcane for four months, and they feel that the Union government, which is the main stakeholder, has shown insensitivity towards their grievances.