Maharashtra govt mulls Rs 5/litre direct subsidy transfer to milk farmers

The Maharashtra government is planning to offer Rs 5/litre by way of subsidy transfer directly to milk farmers’ account as economic support, to prevent them from getting trapped in debt. The move follows widespread protests by farmers, whose realisations dropped sharply during sectoral lockdowns.

Amid protests from the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, a political outfit led by Member of Parliament Raju Shetti, the state government a held a virtual meeting with farmer institutions and associations, concerned political parties and other organisations on Tuesday. The state minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Vishwajit Patangrao Kadam, assured the gathering that the proposal of Rs 5/litre of subsidy to milk farmers would be taken up in the next cabinet meeting and some positive decisions would be taken.

Following the assurance, the one-day protest was called off. The Sanghatana was bursting the tyres of tankers carrying milk and poured thousands of litres of milk on the road on Tuesday.

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