BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a discussion with a delegation of farmer leaders of the Samyuktha Horata-Karnataka Forum led by farmers, Dalits, labourers, students, and and women’s organisations and made several important announcements to solve the problems of the farmers and workers as per law.
The members of the association brought to the attention many demands, including land acquisition, the cow slaughter prohibition act, Bagar Hukum, a ban on 12-hour compulsory work for workers and OTS system for farmers’ loans in rural banks.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave assurance that cooperative and national banks will be instructed not to forcibly collect the loan installments of farmers.
“We will soon convene a meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers of Revenue, Forest, Agriculture Department and officials to resolve the issues related to Bagar Hukum, Akrama- Sakrama and other issues related to Forest Department.
The CM said that the amendment to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act has not been approved by the Legislative Council. Action will be taken to get approval for this in the joint committee meeting.
The Factories (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2023 does not make 12 hours of work mandatory. Will review and reduce it to 8 hours as before, CM Siddaramaiah said.
The amendment brought to Sections 79A and B of the Land Reforms Act will be corrected. He said that the government will take action as per law.
DCM DK Shivakumar, CM’s Advisor BR Patil, MLA Fareham Puttannaiah, Revenue Department Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar Kataria, RDPR Secretary Anjum Parvez, Agriculture Department Secretary Anbu Kumar, Labour Department Principal Secretary Mohammad Mohshin, and CM’s Secretary Trilok Chandra were present. (ANI)