Even before the farm Bills were passed in Parliament, Harbhajan Singh quit a cushy bank job to work for the farmers바카라 cause. Thus, when protesting tillers came knocking on the Capital바카라s doors, he joined them at Ghazipur border.
For 15 years he was working as an assistant manager in one of India바카라s top private banks at Sitarganj in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand.
바카라I was responsible for disbursing loans to farmers where I had a profile of about 6,000 farmers and a portfolio of Rs.150 crores,바카라 he said.
Harbhajan himself is from a family of farmers who owns about 40 acres of land.
Harbhajan Singh addressing farmers at Ghazipur
바카라I've done direct funding for about 2,000 applicants during my stint at the bank. But I later realised the percentage of farmers able to close their loan was just about in double figures!
바카라In other professions, people earning even Rs.10,000 or Rs.15,000 a month are able to pay off bank loans of Rs.1 lakh in five years. But those in agriculture are unable to return the loan amount,바카라 Harbhajan realised soon.
He felt a pang of guilt. Harbhajan could not stop them from taking the loan, 바카라they needed the money바카라 I couldn바카라t stop them from availing a loan,바카라 he said, 바카라but I could perhaps help them in earning enough to be able to return it.바카라
He quit the job in January 2020 and connected with scientists and farm experts on a WhatsApp group that discussed ways to address farming problems.
They exchanged ideas and methods to improve produce and develop marketing skills.
바카라I used to share what I learnt from the group with farmers. I put it out for them in an easier language or in local dialect so they can follow.바카라
He explained how the small and marginal farmers can register themselves online and avail of minimum support price (MSP).
Harbhajan approached local cybercafés and trained them so that they could in turn help farmers register on the online official portal.
Lunchtime at the protest site
In about a year he has already helped 3,000 farmers register themselves and avail MSP.
바카라I try to share with them ideas that can increase their yield and advise them on marketing their produce. I also organised a protest in Sitarganj for farmers demanding their rights.바카라
The 40-year-old former banker has been with the protestors in Ghazipur since November 26, 2020. Earlier, he took a five-day break to go home.
The second time he took a break was when he got his nephew married on January 25, and two days later was back.
바카라The big farmers don바카라t care about a law or three, it is the poor who are affected by the new laws,바카라 he asserted.
