2009, YEAR OF FARMERS’ JUDGEMENT

During the 15th Lok Sabha Election, Farmers of India will judge the performance of the Policies of the Union Government and the Parliament. The UPA Govt. has provided 65,000 crores loan waiver, but this has not benefited the farmers whose loans are waived as fresh loans are not disbursed. The MSPs of many commodities, except sugar, are increased moderately but do not wholly cover the costs and high risks involved in farming. Suicides of farmers continue unabated year after year, 25,000 farmers on an average. Migration and malnutrition still continue and spread of naxalism continues to rise.

Our farmers are facing the problem of non-availability of labor in some parts of the rural areas. The shortage of fertilizers has created a scare amongst farmers and some farmers lost their lives to get a bag of fertilisers. The sale of spurious pesticides and seeds has adversely affected every farmer in India. The net real income of the farmers has come down in the past 5 years.

Farmers find glaring rural urban disparities and discrimination extremely painful. Dr.Manmohan Singh has implemented the 6th Pay Commission for 6 million employees within 6 months of getting the report, that too with retrospective effect. But the recommendations made in the NFC report submitted in October 2006 by Dr.M.S.Swaminathan are not implemented even after two years.

The media, devote more time for unnecessary and undesirable coverage of incidents and happenings, but have little time to high light causes behind 25,000 farmers committing suicides every year.

Our future appears very bleak, but should the farmers meekly surrender instead of asserting themselves?

2009 can be the year of Farmers showing their strength. Every politician will be approaching you for your vote. Our suggestion to the Indian farming community is very simple:

1. Ask your MP contesting for elections (be it ruling or opposition) whether he/she has raised in the Parliament the issues and problems of farmers and pressed for implementing the recommendations of   the National Commission.
2. Ask him/her whether the NCF report was discussed in their party platform. If not, WHY NOT?
3. If he has not done so, do not vote for him.
4. Vote for the person who promises to successfully pursue implementation of NCF report, which gives  support price for your  farm produce meeting  all costs plus 50% to cover high  risks implicit in farming .This means a support price of Rs.1,500 for Paddy and Wheat, Rs.2,200 for Sugar cane and Rs.3,000 for Cotton. Farming is the riskiest business and farmers’ livelihood is always under threat.

Your vote will help enthrone the Farmer friendly candidates as MPs and dethrone farmer unfriendly ones. Please make efforts to see that your co-farmers also do like wise. Farmers’ votes are crucial in deciding the future of farmers.
VOTE FOR MPs WHO ARE FOR HIGHER MSPs.

Chengal Reddy.P
Secretary General , CIFA