Delhi’s farmers demand cheaper electricity, subsidy on fertilisers; CM assures assistance

The Dilli-dehat, spread across more than 30 of the 70 Assembly constituencies, was a key factor in the BJP’s poll performance. Despite a call for an election boycott from different farmer groups due to a lack of infrastructure development and attention towards their demands, the BJP saw wins in many seats with a considerable rural population — Shakur Basti, Narela, Rithala, Mundka, Nangloi Jat, Matiala, Najafgarh, Palam, to name a few.

In the meeting, head of Delhi BJP’s Kisan Morcha Vinod Kumar presented the CM with a list of long-standing grievances of the rural belt. “When the BJP saw an electoral win 27 years ago, they had swept the polls in all rural Delhi seats. This time too, the Dilli-dehat has shown massive support for the BJP,” he said.

The farmers demanded cheaper electricity, which they said is currently being provided on commercial rates; pucca roads; tax exemptions; and abolish tax on tractors and allow their use for agricultural purposes for up to 20 years.

They further sought the purchase of their crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) rates in all markets and requested subsidies on fertilisers, seeds, and medicines.

They also sought the construction of bypass roads in major rural areas such as Narela, Bawana, Najafgarh, Dariyapur Kalan, and Kanjhawala to ease traffic congestion and the paving of village roads. Their complaints included lack of cleaning of drains that is leading to overflow of sewage into their agricultural land and how the ban on tubewells is leading to problems in irrigating their land.

The meeting also highlighted concerns regarding education and healthcare. “In my village near Mundka, a school was built in the 1980s. Over time, the number of school-going students has increased, but there is no infrastructure to support them,” a farmer said.

“Science is not being provided as an option after class 10,” another farmer complained.

After the meeting, Gupta said, “Our goal is to make every farmer in Delhi self-reliant and prosperous. The government will work closely with farmers to enhance basic infrastructure and improve agricultural income.”

Speaking to the farmers, Singh assured them that the Budget would focus on rural infrastructure, including education, healthcare, roads, and electricity supply.