A budget for rich farmers

Therefore the NITI Aayog has to deliberate instantly on this and advise the government to take a relook.

SHREE KRISHNA PHADNIS MUMBAI

This is with reference to the article,“Expert’s guide to rural distress“(16-29 February). We know that agriculture is the backbone of our national economy. About two-thirds of our populace live in villages and most of them depend on agriculture for livelihood.Their economic activities are farming and allied works.

This sector is now very sick because the input costs are increasing but the market value of the farm produce is decreasing.The farmers have increasingly failed to make profits. Rather, they are sinking in debt and are forced to kill themselves.

In this context, this year’s budget does not give them much hope.This article points out that the allocation to various schemes was either reduced, remained static or was minimally increased.The flagship programme for rural development—the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act—is now dying due to reduced allocation and negligence. It was the instrument of rural development during the last one

and half decades.

Most items in the 16-point agenda announced by the finance minister in her budget speech were not for small and marginal farmers but for the rich ones.To build warehouses and cold-storages on P-P-P model or “Krishi rail” or “Krishi udaan” are farcical for poor farmers. These plans and programmes are not suitable for addressing rural distress.

The government promised har khet me pani (water in every farmland) and the PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana, which have not yet been fulfilled. So fulfilment of announcements made in this budget must also be considered doubtful.

TAPOMOY GHOSH PURBA BARDHAMAN