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| Farmers' voice must become J&K's development agenda: Bharat Priye | | |  Early Times Report
KATHUA, Aug 31: Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Kissan Congress Chairman Bharat Priye today addressed an impressive meeting of farmers at Kathua, which witnessed enthusiastic participation of farmers from different villages of the district. He used the occasion to highlight the difficulties confronting the farming community and urged the Government to adopt a comprehensive, time-bound approach towards resolving the issues affecting agriculture and the common people across Jammu & Kashmir.
Speaking at the gathering, Bharat Priye demanded that an FCI procurement mandi be opened in Kathua within ten days, saying that farmers should not be compelled to travel long distances or depend on uncertain procurement arrangements for selling their produce.He said timely procurement is particularly important for farmers because delays can force them to sell their produce at rates below their expectations, adversely affecting their income and weakening the economic sustainability of farming households.
Priye also demanded waiver of tariff/charges on electricity motors used for irrigation, saying that farmers already face rising input costs and should not be burdened with additional financial pressure for accessing irrigation facilities.He maintained that affordable and reliable irrigation is essential for improving agricultural productivity, particularly in areas where farmers remain dependent on groundwater and irrigation infrastructure.
The JKPCC Kissan Congress Chairman said the problems of farmers cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader challenges being faced by the people of J&K. He called for focused attention towards unemployment, rising prices, electricity tariffs, water shortages, inadequate irrigation facilities, deteriorating rural roads, agricultural input costs, procurement arrangements, compensation for crop losses, market access and limited livelihood opportunities.He said farmers continue to face increasing expenditure on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, machinery, electricity, transportation and labour, while uncertainty over market prices and procurement adds to their financial difficulties.
Priye stressed the need for strengthening the agricultural marketing network and ensuring that farmers receive remunerative and timely prices for their produce. He also called for effective implementation of crop insurance and adequate compensation in cases where farmers suffer losses due to extreme weather events, floods, drought-like conditions, pest attacks or other natural calamities.
Highlighting the importance of irrigation, he said the Government should accelerate the repair, modernisation and expansion of irrigation infrastructure and ensure that farmers receive adequate water during critical agricultural periods. He also drew attention to the wider power crisis affecting households, businesses and farmers in different parts of J&K. He said farmers require dependable electricity for irrigation, while ordinary consumers need reliable power supply at affordable rates. |
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