NHAI loses Rs 814 crore in toll revenue; Farmers call for Nationwide Bandh on March 26

Today is the 120th day of the 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at New Delhi's border crossings. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting along the Delhi-Punjab border. On November 26, 2020, the protest began.

Protests cost the NHAI Rs 814 crore in toll revenue

Parliament was told that the National Highways Authority of India has lost Rs 814.4 crore in toll revenue since March 16 due to farmers' protests in three states. Because of the significant loss, state governments have been asked to restore user fee collection. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport, Highways, and MSMEs, said in a written statement to the Rajya Sabha.

"Farmer protests have mostly resulted in revenue loss in the states of Punjab and Haryana, as well as in a few plazas in Rajasthan," the minister said. Punjab had the biggest loss at Rs 487 crore, followed by Haryana at Rs 326 crore and Rajasthan at Rs 1.40 crore, he said. "As a result of farmers' protests in other States, no income loss has been detected," the minister said.

Gadkari outlined the steps taken in this respect, saying that the matter is being continuously pursued with district and state administrations to recover user fee collection, despite the government's significant loss.

Karnataka bandh

Farmers have called for a bandh in Karnataka on March 26. The call was made at the ‘Vidhana Soudha Chalo' rally in Bengaluru, which was organized by farmer leaders Darshan Pal and Rakesh Tikait. The farmers' movement in Delhi, spearheaded by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, has called for a bandh to commemorate four months of protests at the Delhi borders.

Mahapanchayat in Jaipur

Rakesh Tikait, the chairman of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, will speak at the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Jaipur. According to Raja Ram Meel, president of the Jat Mahasabha, the mahapanchayat will be held at Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium.

"It will be Tikait's first meeting in Jaipur. He has previously attended meetings in other districts such as Hanumangarh and Ganganagar "Meel stated. "Farmers have realized that the Modi government has taken advantage of them and is attempting to undermine them. Farmers have realized that the government intends to hand over the agricultural sector to industrialists. As a result, there are nationwide demonstrations against farm laws "he stated