Why farmer’s welfare are sacrificed at the altar of politics

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Amid opposition protest and ugly scene created by some opposition members Rajya Sabha on 20th September passed three bills relating to the welfare of farmers in the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament.  With this as the Lok Sabha had already passed these bills, the Parliament had approved the big ticket reforms in Agriculture. These are; The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020. These Bills were brought to deal with the long standing demands of the farmers to liberate them from the clutches of middle men and from all kind the restrictions. This is for the first time that genuine attempts were made to give big relief to farmers to increase their earnings and push the agriculture growth. It would also solve the vexed complexities in ever increasing number of marginal farmers due to increasing population and division of land between the siblings of farmers. Already more than 86 % of the farmers fall in the category of small and marginal farmers (with 1 to 2 hectare of cultivated land) and are woefully short of technology and inputs.
 However, Indian competitive politics had again surface its head on passing of these three bills and the resignation of the lone Akali Dal Minister Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the lone Minister from Akali Dal in the cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had shown that whatever good the intention of any government may be the ugly face of our politics will always be visible to witness the theatrics of Indian polity. The politicians of this country must realize that despite the current pandemic the agriculture growth had bettered the previous records and remained in the range of 3.5 percent growth rate while others sectors had fallen way below.
The farming is a much stressed profession these days and farmers are simple people and are easy prey at the hand of selfish politicians. They are unable to perceive the reform agenda, market dynamics and technological innovation required to upgrade the farming sector in India and can be easily swayed by the propaganda. The resignation of Mrs Kaur is the culmination of our divisive politics. Incensed at the rumours that the bills are totally against their interest the farmers of Punjab and Haryana have been instigated by the opposition parties and fearing loss of their voter’s wrath the Akali Minister had resigned. Let us examine what is the justification for opposing the bills. 
There is not much opposition for the Essential Commodities (Amendments) Bill 2020 which was passed on 15th September 2020 as it seeks to deregulate food items, including cereals, pulses and onion, a move aimed at transforming the farm sector with a view to enhance the farmers income. The oppositions sponsored agitation is on two Bills passed by the Lok Sabha on 17th September. The opposition is for the market reforms and provisions of contract farming. The farmers feel that if the reforms are implemented it will gradually do away with the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the farmers will be at the mercy of traders and big corporate house. On this issue the Agriculture Minister and the Prime Minister had categorically stated that there is no need to worry about MSP as it will continue as it is. The only objective is to allow the farmers to sell their product outside Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) which provide for the working of agriculture Mandis.  The other point the dissenters are raising relates to APMC as they say that in state like Punjab and Haryana the APMCs are well entrenched and doing a good job and the bill does not mention any thing about them. The fact is most of the farmers federations in various previous agitations have been raising the issue of liberating farmers from the vice like grip of Agriculture Mandi samities. APMCs can continue their operations. 
Most of the professional reports on agriculture growth during UPA regime and before have all been rooting for liberating the farmers from APMC and seeking amendments in APMC Act. Even a draft model Act was circulated among the States but it failed to make any impact due to corruption in Mandi samities and interest of deeply entrenched vested personal and political interest including of the traders. The fact is  farmers will have a freedom of choice specially the marginal farmers as it will promote barrier free movement of farmers produce all over the country. Presently it is not allowed outside the physical premises of the notified markets under the state APMC Acts. It will help farmer better price and better negotiating power to sell their product and it will encourage electronic trading and without any fee etc which was breaking the bone of marginal farmers.
The other Act on price and agreement would help farmer to engager with processors, aggregators and wholesalers, retailers and exporters and while doing so it helps to transfer the risk of market to the sponsors. It is a well known fact that farmers today are handicapped with technology and infrastructure. The Act will bring investment and technology the long awaited farmer’s demands for all these years. It will promote contract farming and would give big boost to oil seed, pulses and other farm produce in Rainfed areas. The stagnating agriculture growth can only be stepped up from around three percent by investment and technology which can only be brought by private sector investment. The allegation of opening the field for private corporations is a clever ploy to politicise and create chaos and block forward looking reforms in the sector. The Act provides for complete protection on Sale, lease or mortgage of farmers land also from any recovery and with an effective dispute resolution mechanism. However, in any big ticket reforms the vested interests gang up and try to raise the bogey and instigating the fear of takeover of farmers land by the rich business for their selfish interest.  The Akalis fearing the backlash retracted from their support and the resignation may be an act of countering the opposition. The Congress party must realize what they are opposing is promised in their own election manifesto which promised the same what the present government had done. Hope the Agriculture Ministry conducts meetings all over the country with farmers and clears their doubt. Let an excellent initiative flourish. 

By: VK Bahuguna
(The writer is a former civil servant)







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