Nawalparasi. Binod Chaudhary, candidate of West Nawalparasi constituency-1, said he would leave no stone unturned to resolve the problems of sugarcane farmers.

He also said that the government has been shaking the government about the problems of sugarcane farmers in the past. He said he was committed to resolving the problems of sugarcane farmers in the coming days as well. Stating that he had exerted pressure on the government to fix the minimum support price (MSP) on time last year as well, he said he was serious about resolving the problems of farmers. He pointed out the need of farmer-friendly policy as most of the farmers in rural areas are involved in sugarcane farming.

Chaudhary, who had gone door-to-door in Ward No. 5 and 6 of Pratappur Rural Municipality in Nawalparasi district as part of the election campaign, said that he was committed to resolving the long-term problems of sugarcane farmers after the sugarcane farmers requested him to take effective initiatives to resolve their long-term problems.

Farmers in the area have been facing financial crisis for years due to lack of subsidy and payment of sugarcane on time. As part of the election campaign, the farmers directly narrated their grievances to Chaudhary who had reached the rural areas of Pratappur Rural Municipality-6 today. According to farmers, the government has not fixed the minimum support price (MSP) of sugarcane on time even though the sugarcane crushing season has already begun. They also complain that the sugar mills have been delaying payments for years, which has led to the displacement of farmers.

After listening to the problems of local farmers, candidate Chaudhary said that he had drawn the government’s attention on the issue of sugarcane farmers time and again in the past as well. He pledged to formulate a separate policy for agriculture sector and resolve all problems of farmers if the NC-led government is formed.

Locals say that the condition of farmers will not improve until the problem of payment and price fixation is resolved as most of the people of this region are involved in agriculture. Although some farmers have been displaced from sugarcane farming and are attracted to banana farming, they are not satisfied due to lack of marketing and fair price.

Chaudhary said the government would give top priority to agriculture sector and resolve farmers’ problems in the long term if the government is formed under the leadership of Gagan Thapa. Stating that he has been able to work for only 30 months after his election, he said that he has come to the doorsteps of the voters again with the promise of completing the unfinished work and working in the areas of roads, expansion, education, health and employment in the rural areas. Locals also said that they are confident that he is a capable candidate who can raise the problems of this area strongly at the national level.