IMF: Farm laws must provide safety net for those impacted
WASHINGTON: The IMF believes the new farm bills have the potential to represent a significant step forward for agricultural reforms, but a social safety net is needed to protect those who might be adversely impacted during the transition to the new system, a spokesperson of the global lender said here.
Gerry Rice, Director of Communications at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said the new measures will reduce the role of the middlemen and enhance efficiency. “We believe the farm bills do have the potential to represent a significant step forward for agricultural reforms in India,” Rice said at a news conference. “The measures will enable farmers to directly contract with sellers, allow farmers to retain a greater share of the surplus by reducing the role of middlemen, enhance efficiency and support rural growth,” he said.
“However, it is crucial that the social safety net adequately protects those who might be adversely impacted during the transition to this new system,” the spokesperson said responding to a question on the ongoing protests by farmers against the laws in India.
This can be done by ensuring that the job market accommodates those that are impacted by the reforms, he added.
And of course, the growth benefits of these reforms will depend, critically, on the effectiveness and the timing of their implementation, so need to pay attention to those issues as well with the reform,” Rice said.
Rahul leads Cong protest against laws: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the Congress’s protest in Delhi in support of agitating farmers on Friday and said the opposition party will not relent till the three new farm laws are repealed. He was accompanied by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and leaders at the protest outside the Lieutenant Governor’s residence here as part of the party’s countrywide agitation.