Hardeep S Puri
Minister of Housing and Urban Planning and Civil Aviation of the Union
SOME acts and deeds are of such a profound quality that they can have the effect of changing the course of history. However, these do not always resonate with our consciousness. The martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s two youngest sons is a good example. Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh achieved martyrdom on December 26, 1705, when they were brutally assassinated by Wazir Khan, the Mughal governor of Sirhind.
The martyrdom of the Sahibzadas and the subsequent Battle of Chappar Chiri fought by Banda Singh Bahadur heralded the creation of the Sikh Empire. Looking back at this profound event that occurred 315 years ago, it is also an occasion for us to introspect with a view to seeking a more prosperous and secure future for Sikhs.
At this juncture, when vested interests are trying to spread fear, anxiety, and disorder through lies, misinformation and distortion of facts, it is important to point out some important decisions by the Modi government regarding both Sikhs and Sikhs. the farmers.
From the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registration for Sri Harmandir Sahib to the reduction of the ‘black list’ of Sikhs, the exemption of tax on the langar and the guarantee of access to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, the prime minister Modi has taken various measures for the welfare of Sikhs. The great celebration of the 350th Parkash Parv, wiping the tears of the victims of the 1984 riots, establishing chairs for Sikh studies in foreign universities, showcasing Sikh heritage to the world, improving the infrastructure of places like Sultanpur Lodhi, connecting pilgrimage sites Sikh through Scholarship training and empowerment of young Sikhs have been some of the measures taken in the last six years.
The budget of the Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare has increased more than sixfold in the last six years. Prime Minister Modi has implemented the Swaminathan Committee’s recommendations to increase the MSP to 1.5 times the cost of production. In fact, the amount spent on acquisitions at MSP increased by 85% in 2014-19 compared to 2009-14. MSP has increased in the range of 40-70 percent for all major crops in 2020-21 compared to 2013-14. Even this year, the acquisition of rice with rice at MSP in Punjab has been 25% more than last year and 20% more than even the acquisition target for this year. To date, more than Rs 1,10,000 crore has been transferred directly to farmers’ accounts through PM Kisan Yojana and Rs 87,000 crore paid as crop insurance to farmers against a premium of only Rs 17,450 crore.
Despite such incontrovertible evidence and various assurances from top leaders, including the Prime Minister, fear and anxiety are spreading among our brothers and sisters that the MSP will leave and the Mandis will be destroyed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In 1950, the Indian agricultural sector contributed about 52 percent to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), while employing nearly 70 percent of our entire population. As of 2019, the sector still employed nearly 42 percent of our total population, but contributed only 16 percent to GDP, while experiencing a year-on-year growth rate of just 2 percent.
A 2018 study by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development showed that 52.5 percent of all farm households were in debt with an average debt of $ 1,470 (about Rs 1.08 lakh). This happens while 30 percent of our agricultural production continues to be wasted due to the lack of adequate infrastructure for the cold chain. These factors compensate for an essentially inefficient supply chain. As a result, consumers cannot choose between products, waste is high, and prices are highly volatile. At the same time, the Indian farmer is subject to the vagaries of climate change, markets, middlemen, and a lack of essential infrastructure.
The UPA government, with Sharad Pawar as agriculture minister, had created three high-level committees to make recommendations on reforms in the sector. Parkash Singh Badal, the then CM of Punjab, was the president of one of the groups. The CMs of Haryana and other northern states were members. Narendra Modi, the then CM of Gujarat, was the president of one of the other groups.
Paragraph 5.13 of the committee’s report had mentioned: “The market for agricultural products must be immediately freed from all kinds of restrictions on movement, trade, storage, finance, exports, etc. No monopoly should be allowed, including that of the APMC or the licensee companies. to restrict the market. The concept of farmers markets should be promoted, where they can freely sell to consumers directly. it must be decided in consultation with state governments. “
Leading agricultural economists have also recommended these reforms, allowing our farmers to sell their produce on the open market. Even the various Congress party manifestos in the past have explicitly called for these reforms. Some states in India have also adopted and implemented these reforms on their own over the years, for example Bihar where the average growth of agriculture is 6% compared to the national average of only 2%. .
So the question arises, why is there so much opposition? Fundamental and transformational reforms are disruptive in nature. The beneficiaries of existing inefficient systems have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, so it is natural for them to reject them. The resistance of the “Bombay Club” against the fundamental economic reforms introduced to unleash the Indian economy in 1991 is one example.
Today, the opposition parties in the country have been marginalized in the electoral battles. With a dearth of substantive issues to change their political fortunes, vital agricultural reforms have been the target of incessant misinformation, lies, and incitement by these parties.
The government has repeatedly asked farmers to speak up and help resolve any of their concerns. States will be able to impose taxes on mandi and although the government has created time-bound dispute resolution mechanisms, we have also agreed to give access to civil courts in the event of disputes. But we must not allow disinformation campaigns to derail these transformative reforms that seek to put more money in farmers’ pockets.
Mark Twain said that a lie can travel half the world while the truth puts on its shoes. However, the truth ultimately triumphs. The cobwebs of lies and misinformation are now being removed and the truth is becoming apparent to our farm workers. As we remember the courage and sacrifice of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh on this day, we must introspect.
