The coming days are going to be gruesome to the aam admi, owing to the drought like situation looming large across the nation. There is a misconception that monsoons alone have played havoc with agriculture in our country. Tens of thousands of farmers have committed suicide during the past 15 years not because of faulty monsoons but due to the neo-liberal policies pursued by successive governments. The procurement policy by offering Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers is allowed to goby, which gave the reins of price management on agriculture produce into the private hands. Removal of Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) has led to dumping of highly subsidised grains rendering our farmers uncompetitive. The government also has dispensed with the responsibility of supply of seeds and fertilizers. Farm loans at concessional interest rate have become a thing of the past. As though to drive the last nail into the coffin of agriculture sector – lands are snatched from the farmers and doled out to the corporate bigwigs in the name of SEZs. The NSSO report that over 40 per cent of Indian farmers want to quit farming if there was another alternative should make our policymakers hang their heads in shame.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin
Kadapa, A.P.