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KMSS stages demo against FCI

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 14 � The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) today held demonstrations in front of the NE zonal office of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and also in front of the Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Assam, in protest against the failure of the FCI to procure the rice produced in the State.

The KMSS said in a statement here this evening that despite the Assam farmers producing huge quantities of boro paddy, there is no buyer of their produce. Some traders are offering only Rs 200 to Rs 260 per maund, meaning thereby that they are ready only to pay Rs 700 or slightly more than that against a quintal of paddy which is quite frustrating for the farmers.

The FCI deadline for procurement of paddy is April 30 and there is no move on the part of the State Agriculture Department to get this deadline extended for the Assam farmers or to announce a supporting price for their benefit, alleged the KMSS.

The KMSS members were told by the executive director of the FCI NE zonal office during their demonstration today that his repeated requests to the State Agriculture Department to get the procurement deadline extended by the Government of India fell on deaf ears.

Following this, the KMSS members demonstrated in front of the State Agriculture Directorate and threatened an indefinite fast on the issue. The officers of the directorate after consulting the State Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka, told the KMSS members that the minister would hold a discussion with the KMSS members at his office chamber at 10 am of June 17.

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