The Centre recently increased the minimum support price(MSP) for
agriculture products. But the move will not end the woes of the farming
community. What will bring in a full stop to their sorrows and difficulties is
the much awaited reforms in the farm sector. Unfortunately, the BJP led NDA
government in New Delhi, like its predecessors, initiated no steps in this
regard. Therefore, the financial condition of the farmers is unlikely to
change. The tragic incidents of farmers’ suicide in different parts of the
country are expected to continue as before.
Soon after the central cabinet cleared the government’s decision to hike
the MSP, a union minister was seen proudly giving a ‘byte’ to a TV news channel
about the “historic” decision taken by the NDA government. “Sixty per cent of
the country’s population depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Therefore,
there was an urgent need to increase the MSP”, she said.
The TV reporter, like majority of the journalists in the country who
seldom do their homework before embarking on assignments, did not bother to ask
neither the minister replied a vital question – why more than sixty percent of
the population of a country would depend on agriculture for their bread and
butter.
Since more than a decade now experts from across the globe have been
shouting from a million rooftops that there was no requirement for so many people
in a country to involve themselves in agricultural activities. Only thirty
percent or in a large country like India maximum thirty five percent of the
population should be engaged in farming activities to feed the entire nation. The rest should be shifted to other sectors
for their livelihood.
In
fact, one of the important features of the reforms in agriculture sector
suggested by experts was that the government should ensure smooth migration of
workers from farming to other sectors like manufacturing. Successive
governments, both at the Centre and in the states never heed to the suggestion.
This is because political parties in India, across the board, never wanted
welfare of the farmers.
If
the farming community will be well settled and financial condition of the men
in field will improve then political parties will not be able to do their
politics over the agri-distress in the country. That perhaps could be the
reason why soon after the recent hike in the MSP, political parties either
supported or opposed the government’s move. But ironically none of them spoke
about the much needed reforms in the sector.
The
same is with the numerous Krushak Sangathans or the so called associations of
farmers. The shutters of the shops they have opened in the name of farmers for
their own vested interests will be shut down if farmers will live comfortably.
That perhaps is the reason why these farmers’ associations never speak about
reforms.
After the recent MSP hike, another union minister was seen making a very
interesting comment while speaking to, of course, a TV news channel. He went on
to say that if prices of cars can go up why not the prices of agriculture
products. This type of comment from a union minister can be heard only in India.
The senior minister failed to realize one important factor - the government
never fixes the prices of cars. The market does.
Car makers get the benefit of open market.
If farmers would sale their products in open market they will also get the same
benefits. Therefore some experts have been advocating for abolition of MSP
system. Instead, the market should be allowed to decide the actual price of an
agri product. However, this will never happen in India. Political parties and
vested interests will not allow it to take shape.
------------------------------------------------------------