The farmers fear that the safety net in the form of APMC mandis and FCI’S (Food Corporation of India) procurement scheme will be scrapped by the government; as these bills will pave a more of a speedy way for the corporates, traders and customers to acquire the produce. And the farmers dread the fact that if they aren’t satisfied by the price provided by the private players, they won’t have government backing them up with their MSPs.
The government, in writing has clarified the fact that it doesn’t intend to unsafe the farmers by withdrawing any of the existing above supports; then too the farmers aren’t fully convinced (thanks to the opposition). This resulted in Maharashtra government tabling its own independent farm bills inclusive of provision of MSPs, license for traders, recovery against the eluders, fining etc.; in the state legislature which were in turn open for public discussion.
THE OTHER SIDE TO CONTEMPLATE ON…..
While some economists side the government ; some democratically defy the same by stating the below –
¾ th of farmers already enjoy the freedom of selling in the private market regardless of the bill; as only ¼ th is seen to be sold in the mandis statistically. Instead of replacing the mandis, ably operated APMCs are need of the time.
The assumption that the bill will save the farmers from exploitation of the middlemen can’t be full proofed as the conglomerates (at least in the initial phase) would need these agents so as to assist in dealing with the rural and marginal farmers.
Questions on the intend of the private players in the long run, the naïve approach of the the governance towards the enhancement will be answered by time alone. Till then we as citizens with a constructive mindset, should democratically, thumb the government for officially opening up the agri-market wide open for ALL!
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