Farmer leader Shankar Ambali announced that the hunger strike was withdrawn based on assurances that procurement centers would open soon. He warned that if no action is taken within seven days, a district-wide bandh and intensified protests will follow
Nargund
Farmers in Nargund ended their indefinite hunger strike on Monday after MLA N.H. Konaraddi and Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu visited the protest site and assured them that the government is taking steps to begin the procurement of maize under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme. The farmers had been staging a sit-in and fasting for three consecutive days, demanding immediate procurement of their produce.
MLA Konaraddi informed the farmers that he had personally discussed the matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and emphasized that the state government is committed to purchasing maize, regardless of pending approvals from the Centre. He explained that technical reasons had caused delays, but steps were being taken to resolve them. Ministers H.K. Patil and Chalavadi Swamy have been sent to Delhi to clear procedural hurdles, and procurement centers will be opened soon, he assured. He requested the farmers to withdraw the hunger strike.
Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu also addressed the farmers, stating that senior government officials, including Principal Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, are actively working on expediting maize procurement. She added that the administration understands the seriousness of the issue and is committed to resolving it at the earliest. She highlighted that Dharwad district was among the first to conduct crop-loss assessments and release compensation, with Nargund receiving early relief. More compensation will follow in the next phase.
The DC stated that nearly ₹65 crore has already been credited to farmers’ accounts, and additional funds will be transferred soon. She acknowledged that some farmers had not received payments due to technical issues, but instructions have been issued to taluk-level officials to address these promptly. Farmers were urged to contact the tahsildar’s office or the district toll-free number for assistance.
She further explained that heavy rains had affected the quality of pulses and maize, creating challenges in procurement. Out of nearly 9,000 farmers who registered to sell pulses, only 76 could be procured due to quality issues. The matter has been escalated to district and central authorities for urgent resolution.