Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, May 5
Within days of polling for the Lok Sabha elections coming to an end in Maharashtra, the state government has quietly let a subsidy scheme for dairy farmers lapse.
Under a scheme which was announced in July last year following protests by dairy farmers across the state, the Maharashtra government announced a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre. Under a plan brokered by the government, dairies would pay the farmers a procurement price of Rs 25 per litre. In turn, the dairies were given a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre so that retail prices of milk were maintained.
The scheme was extended regularly till it lapsed on April 30 this year. Polling for the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra concluded on April 29.
Representatives of dairies who attended a meeting in Kolhapur on the issue pointed out that the Maharashtra government had not cleared the pending subsidies due to the dairies when the scheme was in progress.
“The Maharashtra government still owes us a few hundred crores,” an employee of a private dairy said. Maharashtra’s dairies, most of which are controlled by politicians, say they will now reduce the procurement price of milk by Rs 2.
State government officials said a decision to extend the subsidy scheme would have to be taken by the political leadership.
The Swambhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, which organised the strike by dairy farmers for higher procurement prices last year, has warned that milk producers would come out on the road if procurement prices were reduced.
“Maharashtra is reeling under drought and farmers are finding it difficult to organise water and fodder for their cattle. Slashing procurement prices would deal a death blow to them,” Raju Shetti, who heads the political wing of SSS, said.
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2VQiMyE
via Today’s News Headlines
No comments: