Mumbai: The Congress on Monday, June 24, threatened to launch protests if the milk procurement price in Maharashtra is not hiked and demanded a loan waiver for farmers, indicating the issues lined up by the opposition party for raising in the upcoming state legislature session.
State Congress unit president Nana Patole demanded the Shiv Sena-BJP government declare a loan waiver for farmers along the lines of Telangana in the legislature session beginning in Mumbai on June 27.
The Congress government in Telangana has waived loans up to Rs 2 lakh for each farmer and fulfilled the poll assurance, he said.
Amid a massive row over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, Patole alleged BJP-ruled states have links to the paper leaks and accused the Central government of playing with the future of students.
“Farmers are getting a procurement price of Rs 45 (per litre) for milk compared to Rs 27 in Maharashtra. The same milk is sold to consumers by Amul and other dairy companies at Rs 55 to Rs 60 per litre,” the Congress leader claimed and accused the state Mahayuti government of being “anti-farmer”.
He demanded immediate intervention by the state government and raising the milk procurement prices being paid to milk producers.
“Otherwise, we will have to hit the streets to seek justice for farmers,” Patole said as he accused the Shiv Sena-BJP government of exploiting milk producers who have made significant contributions to the White Revolution.
He said the cost of fodder and other expenses for maintaining cows and buffaloes have soared, but the milk procurement price remained muted.
