People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Vol. XXX

No. 43

October 22, 2006

PEASANT DEMANDS

 

  1. Take steps to increase productivity and production in agriculture by making more public investment in agriculture, power, science and technology, infrastructure facilities etc. Priority to be given to foodgrains self-sufficiency.

  2. Ensure remunerative prices for agricultural commodities through appropriate market interventions. Institute a price stabilisation fund as suggested by the National Commission on Farmers. Strengthen the procurement mechanism and public distribution system.

  3. Increase institutional credit facility. Reduce the rate of interest to 4 percent.

  4. Expand crop insurance to cover the entire country and all crops.

  5. Pass a comprehensive central law for agricultural workers. Ensure employment guarantee, minimum wages and social security measures.

  6. In WTO, rally other developing countries for a reintroduction of quantitative restrictions. Fix customs duties on agricultural commodities, based on our national interests.

  7. Scrap the Knowledge Initiative Agreement with the US.

  8. Properly amend the Seed Bill to protect the traditional rights of the peasantry. Allow no GM crop without scientific testing of its impact on health and environment.

  9. Stop the reversal of land reform measures and complete land reform process by distributing the ceiling surplus and fallow lands to agricultural labourers and poor peasants gratis. Stop giving unlimited extent of land to Indian big business and MNCs. Provide adequate compensation to peasants, along with rehabilitation measures, when agricultural land is taken for industries, infrastructure or special economic zones.

  10. Pass the Scheduled Tribe (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill with amendments in order to protest the interests of tribals and other forest dwellers.

  11. Take a census of suicides to have a proper understanding of the reasons and assess the required relief measures. Make an all-India debt survey to assess the magnitude of indebtedness and relief measures.

  12. Form state level farmers commissions for ensuring immediate government response to farmers’ problems.