CPI protesters highlight people's urge for pre-budget

Mangalore, February 16: The members of Communist Party of India on Wednesday staged a protest demanding preparation of budget for the fiscal year with genuine concern for people.

Staging a stir near Deputy Commissioner's office under the slogan 'People's urge for pre-budget' they said that budget should not be the vehicle for the ruling party to make declarations that would bring them popularity. Instead it should have genuine concern for the people evidently.

In the agriculture budget the Government had portrayed as though it has given lot of priority and importance to farmers. However, the citizens of Karnataka have so far not questioned the implementation of the Agriculture Budget. The protesters said that only budgets are being presented religiously year after year to make headlines but implementation of the budget is not happening.

They said that poor farmers, without any other go have been cultivating government land. Though decades ago they have applied for regularization of these lands under Form 50, 53 the Government has not given title deeds. They said that this time, the budget must address this issue.

“In most of the Panchayats across the State the poor have been struggling to get inch of land. When they apply for sites, Panchayats give only one reply that they do not have land at present. In such a case let Government purchase land and distribute it among the siteless,” the protesters said adding that the plight of Primary Health Centres in rural areas is not fine.

The demands of the protesters include declaring special relief packages for farmers of drought affected areas and write off their debts. Desist from land acquisition in the name of industry, development and encroachment and adopt a pragmatic scientific policy. To introduce pension scheme like in Kerala and Maharashtra and pay monthly pension of Rs 2000 for all farmers who have crossed 60 years of age and to declare a minimum wage of Rs 10,000 per month for workers of unorganized sector.

They also demanded that the Government should allocate more residential sites and higher grants on priority for poor and middle class people in urban and rural sector. It must take immediate measures to formulate actin plan to redeem the power crisis of the state and take stringent measures to control power theft, abuse and permanent policies to augment power production, the said.

They also said that government must revise the list of BPL beneficiaries on scientific basis and issue ration cards to all those deserving and distribute food grains. Rectification of environmental hazards consequential to illegal mining and take stringent action against those responsible for it as per the recommendation of the special empowerment committee constituted by the Supreme Court and implementation of the Lokayuktha report on illegal mining submitted by Justice Santosh Hegde and punish the guilty.

Appointment of a capable, spotless judge to the Lokayuktha and fill all the vacancies in the Lokayuktha institution and its special court. Sthree Shakthi self-help groups must be given a loan of Rs 5 Lakhs without interest as per the model of Andhra Pradesh.

Beedi workers shall be provided with the minimum wage of Rs 103 per rolling of 1000 beedies and consumer price index must be fixed at 4 paisa per point. The minimum pension must be raised to Rs 1500 per month. All school going children shall be benefited with the scholarship provided by the welfare fund organization.

Provision of Hakkupatra to all the beneficiaries of the Ashraya Yojana without any further delay. Special attention must be given to improvement of all government hospitals, purchase of medicines and for appointment of Doctors providing additional grant in this regard.