Farmers and members of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha taking out a procession in Mysuru on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: M.A. SRIRAM

The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) decried the Center’s failure to prioritise the agriculture sector in the Union Budget for 2025-26 at a district-level farmers’ convention held here on Thursday.

The convention also marked the 89th birth anniversary of KRRS founder late Prof. M.D. Nanjundaswamy.

Scores of KRRS farmers took out a procession from Basaveshwara Circle near Gun House and en route garlanded the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar before converging at Town Hall for the convention.

Issues related to agriculture and farmers’ distress were discussed at the convention and a set of resolutions were passed to draw the attention of the government to their demands.

Though the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims to give priority to farmers and agriculture, it was not reflected in the Union Budget tabled on February 1, 2025, according to KRRS.

There was no mention of implementing the Swaminathan Committee report on agricultural pricing nor did the government indicate that it would implement a minimum support price mandatory. Both these demands have been pending for years and despite assurances, it has remained on paper, said the KRRS.

The farmers demanded the withdrawal of the amendment to the APMC Act and other farm laws because they were inimical to the agricultural sector and the welfare of the farmers. The KRRS also expressed its dismay over what it called ongoing efforts to privatise the power sector and said that it would have a negative bearing on agriculture.

Calling for reforms in crop loans and the imperatives of simplifying the procedures, the KRRS also sought loan waivers and approval of fresh loans at subsidised rates of interest.

The convention took exception to the reduction in allocation for NABARD from which farmers used to avail loans at a nominal rate of interest and urged the Centre to roll back its decision to reduce the allocation.

Referring to the budgetary allocation of ₹5,300 crore made in the 2023 budget for the upper Bhadra project, the KRRS faulted the Centre for not releasing any amount to kickstart the project. It said the completion of the Upper Bhadra project will help the dry regions of Chitradurga, Davanagere, Tumakuru, etc.

The KRRS urged the Centre to resolve technical difficulties with the approval of the Mekedatu and Kalasa-Banduri project at the earliest.

Reiterating one of their long pending demands, the KRRS said support price for sugarcane should be linked to 8.5% recovery and the government should also announce a revenue-sharing model for sharing profits in sugarcane byproducts.

KRRS leader Basagalpura Nagendra, district unit president Hosur Kumar, general secretary P. Marankaiah, and others were present.