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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
ERNAKULAM, KERALA: In an act of courage, Malayali actor Jayasurya on Wednesday pulled up the Pinarayi Vijayan government over delayed payments to farmers for their agricultural produce procured by Kerala’s state-run purchaser as two ministers looked on in bewilderment.
Speaking at an agriculture-related event at Kalamassery, Jayasurya said that one of the biggest problems facing farmers in the state was the lack of timely payment for crops procured from them.
He was sharing the stage with state agriculture minister P Prasad and commerce minister P Rajeeve on Tuesday at a programme organized on the occasion of Onam.
Left workers were quick to criticize the actor’s comments. However, a large section of people extended their support to him.
Referring to the situation of one of his friends named Krishna Prasad, whose source of livelihood is agriculture, Jayasurya said that his friend has not yet been paid by SupplyCo — the company which serves the purpose of governmental intervention in the retail market to control prices of essential commodities. The corporation runs a chain of retail supermarkets under the same brand name — for the rice grains given to them by him more than five months ago.
Following the speech by the actor, there was support pouring in from all quarters for raising the matter in a public forum in the presence of two senior ministers of the government who are directly connected to the paddy procurement and fund allocation.
“We are extremely thankful to the actor for showing the grit and courage for raising this matter in the presence of the ministers concerned during the occasion of Onam. For years, the matter of delayed payment or insufficient payment from the SupplyCo has been affecting us. Farming is no longer a profession that the young generation is interested in as they always look at our plight and feel that there is no point in continuing farming. There should be some major steps that need to be taken to tide over the situation”, said Divakaran, a paddy farmer based in Palakkad to The New Indian.
Jayasurya also said that the coming generation cannot be blamed for its lack of interest in getting clothes dirty by foraying into agriculture.
“You cannot blame them for that. When the coming generation sees their parents starving or on a fast on Thiruvonam day, why or how can they even think of foraying into farming?” The actor posed the question to the crowd with an indirect reference to the minister who had raised the matter during his speech as the event started.
Meanwhile, the commerce minister was in damage control mode when he replied to the comments made by Jayasurya where he put the blame on the central government for not allocating adequate funds to the state government.
“The payment from the Central government always comes after a considerable delay of several months or even a year. Therefore, the practice we followed was to pay the entire amount, including the Centre’s share, to the farmers by taking loans,” the minister said.
Rajeev said that this time around there were some difficulties with regards to borrowings by the state and therefore, the farmers could not be paid on time. The minister added that despite the financial difficulties, the state government has disbursed Rs 2,200 crores to the farmers.
