Farmers from drought-hit Vidarbha protest over long-pending demands

NAGPUR: More than 300 farmers of the drought-affected areas of Vidarbha region staged a protest in Yavatmal district demanding the state government to take steps to provide relief to farmers.

The farmers gathered at the Pandharkawada tehsil office of Yavatmal district, around 150km from here on Friday, and raised their various demands like waiving off loans, fresh allotment of crop loan, loans for tribals, etc.

Vidarbha Jan Andolan conveyor Kishor Tiwari said that they have also submitted a letter to Maharashtra's chief minister, through the tehsildar, stating that if their demands are not met by September 5, farmers in their respective villages in the Vidarbha region will go on hunger strike.

He said more than one lakh farmers have signed the letter.

"Government is not taking care of farmers in the drought affected areas. We have already raised our long pending demands like loan waiver, fresh allotment of crop loan but government is not paying heed," he said.

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