Wrath of farmers

It is time the Centre revisited the policy in the interest of protecting the country’s agrarian fabric

The success of any public policy depends on how closer it is to address the needs of the vulnerable sections while respecting their sensitivities. The widespread protests in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan against the controversial farm laws hold a mirror to the extent of damage that a flawed public policy can cause to the social fabric. There is a wide sense of betrayal among farmers following the arbitrary and thoughtless move of the NDA government. It is a classic case of how not to frame a public policy that impacts the livelihoods of millions of people. The main apprehension of the agitating farmers is that the Centre wants to do away with the tried-and-tested Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime and leave them to fend for themselves and be at the mercy of the corporates. The Union government has miserably failed to allay these fears and convince farmers of the benefits of the new legislations. The Centre must do some honest introspection and revisit the policy in the interest of protecting the country’s agrarian fabric. Since agriculture and marketing are listed under State subjects in the ninth schedule of the Constitution, the non-BJP ruled States are justifiably angry over the Centre failing to take them on board before enacting new laws. The trust deficit has only widened ever since the ordinance route was adopted in June to propose sweeping reforms in agriculture. The Centre-State tussle threatens to impede agricultural operations, an unwelcome scenario that can delay economic recovery.

Contrary to the claims of transformational reform, the new farm laws have hit at the foundations of the three pillars of food security structure: Minimum Support Price, Public Procurement and Public Distribution System. The government is trying to do away with the protective shield of the farmers and the powers and rights of the State governments, thereby undermining the federal spirit. If the protective mechanism and oversight of local and State structure evaporate, farmers are exposed to exploitation by large trading houses. The Centre’s hasty approach has already led to the exit of a trusted NDA ally, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The ongoing agrarian unrest has a lesson or two for the policymakers. While the Centre is incurring the wrath of farmers because of a faulty policy move, the Telangana government, in sharp contrast, has earned kudos by implementing a string of pro-farmer policies, the latest one being the purchase of maize at an MSP of Rs 1,850 per quintal. Despite the Centre reducing the import duty on maize from 50% to 15% that led to the sharp drop in the price, the State government has come to the rescue of maize farmers by offering to purchase the entire stock.

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