Raipur, March 10 (IANS) Hundreds of farmers will demonstrate before the Chhattisgarh assembly March 18 to exert pressure on the state government to concede their demands, which include higher prices for their produce and free electricty.

'Hundreds of farmers will stage a demonstration before the state assembly March 18 against failure of the state government to honour its commitments, mainly to provide a bonus of Rs.270 a quintal to farmers, free electricity to five horse power irrigation pumps and interest free loans,' Virendra Pandey of Sanjukat Kisan Morcha told reporters here.

The Morcha is an umbrella organisation of farmers' associations in the 18 districts of the state. It had called a successful shutdown last year accusing the state government of backtracking on its commitments made in the run-up to the November 2008 assembly polls.

The budget session of the 90-member Chhattisgarh state assembly began Jan 11 and will conclude March 26.