Farmers Movement Archive

Problem of plenty

It seems the government is bent on staying put in its ivory tower. Late last month, PM Narendra Modi, in his Mann ki Baat address, narrated how a Maharashtra farmer, Jitendra Bhoi, used the new legislation to get his dues back from two traders. Ironically, Bhoi later came out in support of the protesting farmers and insisted that there should be a legal provision for ensuring payment at the MSP.The proof of the pudding, of course, is in the eating. The much-touted laws are certainly not flawless if they don’t provide a shield to the farmers against market volatility and price fluctuations. Making growers go from pillar to post to sell their produce without offering them adequate storage facilities does not qualify as giving them ‘freedom’. Rather, it amounts to abdication of responsibility by the State. The new Acts are no panacea for all ills plaguing the agriculture sector. It’s high time this realisation dawns on the Centre, prompting course correction.

The Tribune

2020-12-24