Drop move to instal smart meters, farmers urge State
One of the resolutions passed at the conference also urged the State government to oppose the Centre’s move directing states to instal smart meters.
RANIPET: A majority of the speakers at Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam’s annual conference organised at Ranipet on Tuesday demanded the State government to give up the proposed move to instal smart meters as it might affect free power to farmers.
One of the resolutions passed at the conference also urged the State government to oppose the Centre’s move directing states to instal smart meters.
Other resolutions passed at the conclave demanded diverting 100-day scheme work members to agriculture, implementing the poll promise of Rs 2,500 support price for per quintal of paddy, and Rs 4,000 per tonne for sugar cane.
They also called for the implementation and fixing of prices for agricultural commodities based on the MS Swaminathan Committee report.
Farmers also sought to waive off all agriculture loans by the central government, provide agricultural machinery to all farmers without disparity at 80 per cent subsidy, rehabilitate sick sugar mills, to start crushing of cane immediately, and also withdraw false cases foisted by the forest department against farmers Mohan Babu and Sabarish of Pernambut.
Another resolution stated that the association would be forced to consider a boycott of the ensuing Parliamentary polls if the government failed to protect farmers from wild animals and withdraw the Government Order mandating permission from the forest department to erect power fences on the border of farmlands.
Earlier farmers took out a procession from the Ranipet RDO office to the Muthukadai bus terminus, the venue of the conference.
Those who participated include Sangam head T Venugopal, general secretary S Udayakumar, youth wing president R Subash, organiser S Ramadas and Ranipet district president CS Mani.
