Bharat Bandh Today: 21 Reforms That Protesting Farmers Are Demanding | Full List

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Bharat Bandh called by several farmers' groups, including the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a list of 21 demands has been put forth, highlighting the agenda the protesting farmers are hoping to take up with the Centre. These demands are as follows- 

1. Remove GST (Goods and Services Tax) on essential goods such as food, medicines and agro-inputs while also reducing the central excise duty on cooking gas and other petroleum products. 
2. Restore railway concessions to senior citizens, women, differently-abled persons and sports persons that were previously withdrawn under pretext of COVID. 
3. Guarantee food security and universalise the public distribution system (PDS).
4. Guarantee right to education for all alongside right to health, water and sanitation. Scrap the New Education Policy, 2020. 
5. Ensure housing for all. 
6. Strictly implement Forest Rights Act (FRA) and The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Withdraw ammendments to Forest (Conservation) Act 2023 and Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Ensure land to the tiller policy. 
7. Set national minimum wage at Rs 26,000 per month. 
8. Convene the Indian Labour Conference on a regular basis. 
9. Stop privatisation of public sector enterprises and government departments. Scrap National Monetisation Pipeline. Amend existing law on mining of minerals and metals and ensure 50 per cent share of profit from mines including coal mines for upliftment of local communities, especially adivasis and farmers.
10. Withdraw the Electricity (Ammendment) Bill 2022. 
11. Right to work should me made into a fundamental right. Fill sanctioned posts. Expand and implement MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). Enact Urban Employment Guarantee Act. 
12. Increase subsidy to farmers on seeds, fertilisers and electricity. Legally guarantee MSP (Minimum Support Price) using the C2+50 per cent formula (production cost plus 50 per cent) for farmers' produce and give assurances for procurement. 
13. Withdraw PM Fasal Bima Yojana and establish comprehensive public sector crop insurance scheme for all crops.
14. Declare comprehensive loan waiver scheme to free all farmer households of existing debt. 
15. Implements written assurances given by the Centre, namely establish memorial at Singhu border for those killed in Lakhimpur violence, pay compensation to families of victims, take legal action against perpetrators and withdraw all pending cases against farmers. 
16. Withdraw the four new labour codes. No fixed term employment and ensure equality and safety at work. All categories of unorganised workers should be registered and given portability in comprehensive social security. 
17. Give ESI (Employees' State Insurance) coverage to construction workers with contributions from the welfare fund. Give coverage of health schemes, maternity benefits, life and disability insurance to all workers registered on E-Shram Portal.
18. Ratify ILO (International Labour Organisation) conventions on domestic workers and home-based workers. Make comprehensive policy on migrant workers, strengthen existing Inter-state Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1979 providing portability of their social security cover.
19. Scrap NPS (New Pension Scheme), restore OPS (Old Pension Scheme) and provide social security to all. Ensure minimum pension of Rs 10,000 per month. 
20. Tax super rich, enhance existing corporate tax and reintroduce wealth and succession tax.
21. Withdraw provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, especially those pertaining to hit and run incidents.