Do it yourself

  Continuing from last week (See Farm Sector Reforms – 4 ) While announcing the famous Rs20trn economic stimulus package in May 2020, the finance minister had made the following 10 key promises for the farm sector in India. It was categorically stated that the governments sees farm sector as a key driver of overall economic growth and also a powerful engine to drive the “self-reliance” agenda. 1.     Essential Commodities Act to be amended to enable better price realization for farmers by attracting investments and making agriculture sector competitive. 2.     A central law to be enacted to provide for inter-state trade and framework for e trading of agriculture produce. 3.     The government to facilitate appropriate legal framework for an enforceable standard mechanism for predictable prices of crops at the time of sowing. 4.     Financing facility of Rs.1Lakh Cr to be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastru...

Continuing from yesterday ( see Farm sector economics in India - 2 ) I have said this earlier also, and I do mind reiterating. To bring any meaningful improvement in the fragile condition of India's farming community, a comprehensive rural development effort is needed. Any piecemeal solution like occasional loan waiver shall have almost no sustainable impact. The traditional farmer welfare measures like periodic hikes in support prices for certain crops, farm input subsidies, interest rate subvention have not yielded the desired results. In my view, a sustainable improvement in Indian farmers' conditions is possible only under a comprehensive rural development mission. The mission should address the problem with structural reforms at three levels, viz., 1. Farm Level; 2. Policy Level and 3. Social Level. All reforms must be pursued "urgently, vigorously, simultaneously" and in a fully integrated fashion, for having a meaningfully sustainable impact....