KPRS calls for district-wide protest on February 12

The Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) has called for a district-wide strike in Kalaburagi on February 12 to demand the release of sugarcane incentives, clearance of pending dues by sugar factories, crop insurance compensation, and a revised minimum support price for red gram.

Addressing a press conference here on February 7, KPRS district president Sharanabasappa Mamashetty said sugarcane is being cultivated on nearly 45,000 hectares of land in the district, and farmers are facing distress owing to rising input costs. He alleged that although the State government had announced an incentive of ₹50 per tonne in November last year, no payment has been made so far, though crushing has been completed on about 28,000 hectares of cane.

He said the Siddhasiri Ethanol and Power factory (Sugar factory) at Chincholi had paid only ₹2,550 per tonne initially and an additional ₹150 later, leaving a substantial amount unpaid. As per norms, the entire payment should be made within 14 days, failing which the interest should be paid to farmers.

Mr. Mamashetty said farmers had suffered heavy losses owing to excess rainfall. With regard to compensation announced under National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force norms, he alleged that there were disparities in relief disbursement and urged the government to ensure compensation proportionate to the crop loss suffered by each farmer.

He said around 3,01,000 lakh farmers had paid around ₹99 crore as crop insurance premium, covering 3.78 lakh hectares of land. The KPRS district president urged the government to direct the insurance company to clear pending claims of distressed farmers immediately.

Besides an agitation in Kalaburagi city, farmers will stage protests at their respective taluk headquarters on February 12 and take out a torchlight procession from Jagat Circle to the Deputy Commissioners’ office the same evening.