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AGRICULTURE

rural poor. value-added from agriculture had been
The rural voters have exceptionally lower during this period. Many of the
high hopes from Modi government in schemes announced remained non-
second inning. Though Congress laid a starter and PM Fasal Bima Yojna opened
lot of stress on the holistic development a panora box of corruption.
of rural India and announced fancy Talking to Tehelka, President of
scheme NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojna) to Bhartiya Kisan Union said that farm-
woo the marginalised rural voters, it ers despite all odds, farmers have voted
did not touch a chord with the target for Bhartiya Janata Parties and its allies.
audience. With this strong mandate, the govern-
Modi was able to convince rural vot- ment can take decision for the welfare
ers that only he can deliver and now, of farmers. He said that the procure-
his second term is the litmus test of his ment of the crops should be done in all
credibility. Will he actually deliver what parts of the country and the entire quan-
he promised? Let’s recall the proposed tity should be procured. He added that
promises to the voters in hinterland. farmers have to indulge in distress sell-
NDA in its 2019 Lok Sabha Election ing despite the Minimum Support Price.
Manifesto had promised to provide He reiterated the recommendations of
short-term new agriculture loans up to Swaminathan Commission and formula
Rs 1 lakh at zero percent rate of interest of C2+50% to fix the price of commodi-
for 1-5 years. In its Sankalp Patra, BJP an- ties. He suugessted that not possible in
nounced to spend Rs 25 lakh crore in one go, the price on the basis of Swami-
next five years on agriculture develop- nathan Commission recommendation
ment in next five years, if voted to power. can be fixed in phases. He told that farm-
The party also pledged to expand the ers want to diversify but in the absence
PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna to all of marketing and assured price they
farmers. It was launched as an annual stick to the crops with MSP. This create
the party with an increase in vote share financial support of Rs 6000 to farmers glut in the market and the real income of
reflects the faith people have reposed in owning less than 2 hectare. The Kisan the farmers has stagnated. So the Mini-
only Mr. Modi, leader of the party. Fasal Bima Yojna, that is compulsory for mum Support Price should be expanded
It is common sense that the revival of all is promised to be made voluntary in to fruits and vegetables too. “Farmers are
rural income is important not from long the 2019 manifesto. Evidently, the party forced to sell crops at rock bottom price
term perspective but is imperative tak- think-tank had taken into consideration and are not even able to recover their
ing cognizance of the impending assem- the bottlenecks in the implementation cost leave alone the profit. We sold pota-
bly elections in many states especially in of the scheme at a mass scale. to at 50 paisa per kilogram and tomato at
Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Now, let’s take a dig at the 2014 mani- Rs 10 per kilogram while the middlemen
Jammu and Kashmir later this year. festo. Evaluation of the previous term of mint supernormal profit on our produce
Finally, the revival of agricultural NDA under Modi provides that the farm as the price in the retail market is abnor-
income is vitally important to trigger income growth remained the slowest mally high”, said Takait.
growth in other sectors as agriculture during 2014-19, where as Modi had an- The promotion of agro-industries at
is the growth engine of the economy. nounced to double the farm income by the village level is another demand of
The automobile (both passenger and 2022. The public investment in agricul- farmers from the new government. If
commercial) and FMCG (Fast Moving ture registered a sharp decline during small food processing units are promot-
Consumer Goods) sector get immensely 2014-2019. The agriculture scientists ed at the village or block level, it will help
affected by the fluctuations in income of claim that growth registered in gross to make value addition in the produce

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