Keypoints:
- In the letter written to Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Pawar pointed out the plight of farmers among other issues due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- He also stressed that instead of helping the farmers in these trying times, the Central Government has decided to increase the prices of fertilizers exponentially.
NCP supremo Sharad Pawar wrote a letter to Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda dated May 18, 2021. In his letter, he pointed out the plight of farmers among other issues due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He further stressed that instead of helping the farmers in these trying times, the Central Government has decided to increase the prices of fertilizers exponentially.
In his letter he wrote,
The second wave of pandemic Covid-19 has impacted heavily on our people, devastating their every means of livelihood. The farming community is reeling under one of the worst ever crisis their issues need to addressed immediately.
But I have learnt the instead of extending a helping hand to this digressed community, the Central Government has taken the decision to increase the price of fertilizers exponentially ( Enclosing a letter of Shri Satish Chavan, MLC, Maharashtra dated May,18,2021 for further details)
The consequent lockdown conditions have already crumbled the marketing system. As the Monsoon is right at the doorsteps, the unfortunate decision would directly hamper the pre-sowing agricultural activities and in future affect the production cost and productivity of the crops. With inflated rates of fuel, the new decision will rub salt in the wounds of the farmers.
The decision is shocking and it needs to be reviewed immediately. I shall be happy if you could personally look into the matter and roll back the price rise at the earliest. On the backdrop of the pandemic covid-19 situation, I would rather highly appreciate if more relief is given to the farmers’ community.
Describing the price rise of fertilizers as “unfortunate”, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole on Wednesday demanded that the Central government should immediately roll back the price hike. Patole also said if the Central government fails to roll back the price hike, his party will stage a state wide protest.
Patole said, “The central government has hiked the prices of fertilizers amid the Covid-19 crisis. As a result, the already distressed farmers are in a state of panic. The central government should immediately withdraw the hike, or else Congress will launch a state wide agitation.”
Patole’s announcement came a day after former union agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar wrote to DV Sadananda Gowda demanding a roll-back of increase in fertilizer prices. Farmers are reeling under “one of the worst ever” crises as the coronavirus pandemic has impacted people’s livelihoods, he said in the letter.
