Various farmers organisations including Swaraj India on Tuesday released the Green Paper on Farmers, Farming and Rural Economy, alleging that the present government was unable to fulfil promises made to the farmers.
“The present government is the most anti-farmer government in the history of India. It has failed to deliver its the promises. This includes ensuring cost plus 50% profit as the Minimum Support Price” said Yogendra Yadav, president of Swaraj India.
“Far from giving farmers and farming ‘the highest priority’ during a period when they needed the support, this government has tried to take away whatever little support different sections of farmers had. Budgetary and other announcements were turned into nothing except grand standing, with little action or money to back up these announcements,” the organisations said.
Kirankumar Vissa of Rythu Swarajya Vedika said, “The Central Government has come up with Market Assurance Scheme according to which the State governments should take responsibility of purchasing crops from farmers. However, unless the government provides funds for this procurement and market intervention, States are not in a position to do it on a large scale.”
Avik Saha, the National Convenor of Jai Kisan Andolan, said, “We need a permanent farmers’ income commission that holistically looks at all the aspects of farming and ensures that both the food producers and food security of the nation are taken care of. A credit fund should be set up as a sovereign guarantee to the banks for helping them lend to tenant farmers. The government should also provide funds and create policies in the budget for women farmers.”
