WINTER OF DISCONTENT
With neither the farmers nor the government refusing to blink, the agri reform agenda remains unfulfilled
What the Green Revolution did for India to attain selfsufficiency in wheat and rice in the 1960s, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government had hoped its three farm legislations would do for agriculture marketing in the country. Over 70 years after Independence, more than half of India’s population still depends on agriculture for a living, even though the sector contributes 17 per cent to the GDP.
The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers’ (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and the Farm Services Act, 2020, along with the liberalisation of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, which deregulates various agri-commodities from being mandatorily sold at APMC (agriculture produce marketing committee) markets, have been presented as attempts to streamline contract farming norms and open up an alternative marketing mechanism. They are also meant to allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country, to
anyone, at any price.
But the farmers, particularly in Punjab and parts of Haryana, are not so convinced about the government’s intentions and have laid siege to the national capital since November 26. Long-time alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), in fact, dumped the National Democratic Alliance over the issue, while Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the post of food processing industries minister in the Union cabinet. The biggest fear the farmers have regarding the new laws is that they are a step towards moving away from the MSP (minimum support price)-based assured procurement of their produce. The farmers’ organisations are adamant that the laws be repealed while the government insists that it is open to amendments in the laws. Meanwhile, on January 12, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the laws and formed a four-member committee to hold talks. However, the stalemate continues even after 10 rounds of discussions.
When asked, 80 per cent of the respondents said they were satisfied with the government’s handling of the issue, while 16 per cent expressed unhappiness. However, opinion was divided on the issue of whom the laws benefit more: farmers or corporates. While 34 per cent of the MOTN respondents believe that the bills will help farmers, a close 32 per cent say the laws are biased in favour of corporates. Another 25 per cent think the laws will help both. On whether the farm laws should be amended, as the government is offering, or repealed, as the farmers are demanding, 55 per cent of the MOTN respondents were in favour of amending the laws while 28 per cent said they needed to be repealed as per the farmers’ demands. The country is watching with interest how Prime Minister Narendra Modi deals with the protests and navigates the crisis. On that will depend the future course of his governance and the shape agriculture will take in the coming decades.