A significant meeting concerning farmers' issues took place in Jaipur on Monday, where a delegation led by Congress MP Rahul Kaswan met with Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena. The meeting was held at the Krishi Pant Bhawan in Jaipur, with Cabinet. Minister Avinash Gehlot and several senior officials from the Agriculture Department also in attendance. The discussions, which lasted for approximately two hours, were comprehensive and focused on various problems faced by farmers in Rajasthan.
Tractor March Halted
Prior to the crucial meeting, Rahul Kaswan had been leading a tractor march towards Jaipur with farmers. However, the police intercepted and stopped this march near Ratanpura village. The farmers' protest had been ongoing for some time, aiming to draw the government's attention to their various demands. Following the halt of the tractor march, the farmers' delegation decided to proceed peacefully to present their concerns directly to the Agriculture Minister.
Key Members of the Delegation
After the tractor march was stopped, a 21-member delegation of farmers arrived at Krishi Pant Bhawan to meet Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena. Alongside Rahul Kaswan, several prominent public representatives were part of this delegation. These included MLA Poosaram Godara from Ratangarh, MLA Narendra Budania from. Taranagar, MLA Amit Chachan from Nohar, and MLA Manoj Meghwal from Sujangarh. These leaders collectively presented the farmers' problems to the Minister with strong emphasis.
Primary Demands of the Farmers
Rahul Kaswan and the farmers accompanying him were protesting over several critical demands, while the most prominent among these was the urgent release of outstanding insurance claims amounting to Rs 500 crore for the Kharif 2021 season. Also, their key demands included ending the shortage of DAP-Urea, ensuring procurement of produce at Minimum. Support Price (MSP), resolving technical errors in the insurance portal, and expediting the issuance of agricultural connections. All these issues are directly linked to the livelihoods and agricultural activities of the farmers.
The Rs 500 Crore Insurance Claim Issue
Following the meeting, Rahul Kaswan informed the media that their demands weren't financial but primarily technical in nature. He specifically highlighted the issue of the Rs 500 crore insurance claim for Kharif 2021. Kaswan explained that the same government had initially ruled in favor of. The farmers on February 29, 2024, approving this Rs 500 crore claim. However, an insurance company subsequently filed a complaint, leading to the cancellation of this decision on August 18 of the same year. This reversal caused significant losses and dashed the hopes of many farmers.
Minister's Assurance and Future Steps
Rahul Kaswan expressed satisfaction after his discussion with the Agriculture Minister, while he stated that the Minister had acknowledged the issue and assured that the department would re-examine it and take phased action. Kaswan noted that this conversation has reopened the path for farmers to receive their claims, which had previously been closed. This comes as a significant relief for farmers who have been long awaiting their outstanding insurance payments.
MLA Narendra Budania Expresses Gratitude
After the talks, MLA Narendra Budania also extended his thanks to Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena. He stated that the Minister had promised to resolve their demands and described the discussion as one of the best he had witnessed in his political career. Budania specifically expressed satisfaction with the promise to address the insurance amount and other demands, emphasizing the unprecedented positive nature of the dialogue.
Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena's Statement
Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena, after the meeting, stated that the delegation had presented demands concerning insurance claims, the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission, fertilizer availability, MSP tokens, complaints regarding the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, and shrimp farming. He assured that a letter detailing all these demands would be sent to the Government of India. The Minister added that the delegation was fully satisfied with the discussions. He also mentioned that any pending files related to farmers' issues would be forwarded to the Chief Minister, while On top of that, he promised to resolve the DAP supply problems in Sujangarh, Ratangarh, and Bidasar promptly. This meeting marks a crucial step towards addressing the long-standing issues faced by farmers.
