the goan I networkrCANACONA rrAmey Puranik, an M-Tech (Structural Engineering), who took up farming since two years ago in his family property at Gaondongrim, said the government is not doing enough for the jawans of the country. r“Looking at the present scenario where Indian soldiers are dying on the border and are becoming martyrs, I Amey Arvind Puranik, a farmer, do hereby take a pledge to donate 1% of my annual agriculture income for providing good food to the soldiers who are on the duty at the Indian border. By doing so, I would be pleased to see no complaints on part of the soldiers regarding unhealthy food,” Puranik posted on Whatsapp group. r“I would also appeal to the Indian farmers to take a pledge to donate either food material or some other contribution and make Lal Bahadur Shastri’s slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ a reality,” he appealed. rSpeaking to The Goan, Puranik, who initially did two years diploma, than three years BE and spent two years in doing M Tech at Bangalore, said: “In spite of my degree, I decided to take up farming, but soon realized that government only formulated its own schemes based on books and without farmers’ participation, but does nothing beyond this.” r“Farmers in our country are suffering just the way they used to suffer hundreds of years ago. Being troubled for getting no cooperation from the government, I had decided to quit farming eight months ago. When I was still contemplating on doing so, I came across a video where a soldier posted on the border complained of poor quality of food served to them.” r“This made me remember the slogan of Lal Bahadur Shastri ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. I decided to carry on with my farming activities and if possible contribute something to provide better food to the jawans.” r“I am growing vegetables on land admeasuring 6 acres, besides a polyhouse and cashew plantation. I produced 20 tonnes of vegetables and earned something like Rs 12 lakh last year. This year, I intend to increase this income to Rs 20-25 lakh. Thus, 1% of this earning, which makes up about Rs 20,000, I pledge to give to the soldiers.” When asked how the amount would reach the jawans, he expalined: “I will send it to the Defence Ministry. My only wish will be to see it reaches and helps even in a miniscule way in providing good food to the jawans working on our border.” rIncidentally, Puranik initially suffered heavy losses with no support from the government in his efforts to improve agriculture activities. He is president of Akhil Gomantak Shetkari Mahasangh, a State level organization of farmers which takes up various issues of the farmers with the government and beyond.
Canacona farmer pledges 1% of his earnings to jawans
In a noble and novel gesture, a young and budding farmer from Partagal-Canacona has pledged one percent of his agricultural earnings for providing good food to the jawans working on the borders of the country.
