Why tens of thousands of Maharashtra's farmers are protesting against state govt

MUMBAI: Around 40,000 Maharashtra farmers, protesting against the state government policies, converged at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on Monday. Under the banner of the All India Kisan Sabha, the farmers walked with blistered feet for about 180 km under the scorching sun over the last five days before reaching Mumbai on Sunday.

JJ flyover, 05:00 AM. #KisanLongMarch pic.twitter.com/9S1hNlwD91

— AIKS (@KisanSabha) March 12, 2018

The march commenced from Nashik on March 6. To press their various demands, the peasants are planning to lay siege to the state legislature complex on Monday. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is scheduled to meet with a delegation of the agitating farmers at 2 pm. Why tens of thousands of Maharashtra's farmers are protesting against the state government

• Farmers demand the loan waiver which the Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised and took a "u-turn" later.
• They demand remunerative prices for agricultural produce.
• Farmers also want the implementation of the M S Swaminathan Commission report, which says farmers should be paid one-and-a-half times the cost of production and the Minimum Support Price should be fixed keeping this in mind.
• Protesting farmers are for a change in the plan to link rivers in Nashik, Thane and Palghar to ensure that tribal lands are not submerged and water from the scheme be made available to these areas as well as other drought-prone districts.
• Farmers are also demanding the transfer of forest land to those who have been tilling it for years.
• The farmers want the state government to refrain from the forceful acquisition of farmlands in the name of development projects like the superhighway and the bullet train
• The farmers seek an increase in pension schemes to poor peasants and agricultural workers.
• They demand that the burning issues connected to the public distribution system (PDS) be resolved.
• The farmers are asking for a complete waiver of electricity bills.
• They demand an increase in the compensation for peasants whose crops were damaged in the recent hailstorms and pink bollworm infestation.