Farmers' body threatens to lay seige to Secretariat

Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, a farmers' body, today announced that farmers from all over the state who will congregate in Bangalore on June 23 will lay seige to Vidhana Soudha to protest the alleged "failure" of the government to solve their "burning problems".
The state committee Executive President H R Basavarajappa and senior leader Kadidal Shamanna, while releasing their demands, said Rs 3,120 crore dues had not been paid to cane growers till now. Despite several appeals, sugar factory owners were dodging the payment of dues to farmers, they said.
Nearly 85 per cent of small farmers are in deep distress and agony, they said, alleging that the state has not followed up on any of its promises including constitution of price commission and solving power problem in rural areas.

KRRS also said it strongly opposed the move of the state government to pay a special incentive of rupees two only to milk producers of weaker sections. The same facility should be extend to all without discrimination, it said.