A select committee of the Kerala legislature led by Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar held a meeting at the Alappuzha collectorate to seek suggestions from the public regarding the Kerala Farmers Welfare Fund Bill, 2018.
A large number of farmers and their representatives came up before the committee and presented their suggestions.
The representatives of different farmer organizations suggested that the age limit for farmers to join the welfare fund be abolished in the first year of the Bill becoming law.
They also demanded that all active farmers must be given the membership. Other amendments suggested were related to insurance, increasing the number of farmer representatives in the welfare fund board and emergency aid.
The Minister further said, “It was the first of its kind Bill to be introduced in a State Assembly in the country. We could have passed the Bill with the support of all MLAs. We have decided to constitute a select committee and seek suggestions from farmers and others. We have already conducted the first sitting in Thrissur.”
Before, the select committee had prepared a questionnaire and distributed among farmer representatives. The representatives also said that more suggestions would be given to the committee in written format.
