Maharashtra: Farmers continue to march to Mumbai

Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], Feb 21 (ANI): The farmers under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha on Thursday continued to march to the state Legislative Assembly in Mumbai, over the demands of complete farm loan waiver and implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations among others.
Meanwhile, a meeting is underway between Water Resource Minister Girish Mahajan and the organisers of the march.
On Wednesday, Mahajan met the organisers but the meeting ended without any concrete solution.
The farmer’s march, which was started on Wednesday, has travelled a distance of 15 kilometres from Nashik till now.
A farmer in the march said, “Until our demands were fulfilled, we will not stop. The government needs to do something new to fulfil our demands, the government has given us the assurance last year. We are not demanding anything new.”
The main demands of the farmers include the Rs 40,000 loan waiver ahead of drought in the state and electricity and water bill too should be waived off.
They are demanding that 1.5 times of the Minimum Support Price to farmers with the implementation of Swaminathan Aayog recommendations. They demand that all the assurances given in last year's long march should be implemented immediately.
The other demands include withdrawing of cases registered against farmers during farmers’ protests, provide land to tribals for farming as per tribal act, and water of the Arabian Sea should be provided to farmers for agriculture.
The long march being organised by AIKS comprises of a large number of farmers, including women.
The farmers will be covering over 165 kilometres between Nashik to Mumbai on foot and are expected to reach Mumbai on February 27.
Last year in March, the All India Kisan Sabha had organised a long protest march, led by over 30,000 farmers, from Nashik to Mumbai. (ANI)