Natabar Khuntia
Seven decades have passed and successive governments of different parties have been voted to power at the centre and states; but the plight of the common man has hardly been addressed. The gap between the haves and have-nots is widening. About a third of the population today does not get balanced food, good shelter, education, healthcare and such other essentials to lead decent lives. Currently election for the 17th Lok Sabha is under way and political parties have long published their manifestos.
In Odisha, Assembly elections are happening along with the general election. Biju Janata Dal, Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are the prime contenders in the state. The BJD, in its 2019 election manifesto, has made the following promises for the farm sector: All farmers and landless agricultural labourers will be covered under KALIA scheme; assistance of Rs10,000 per farmer per year and Rs12,000 per landless labourer will be paid under KALIA, immediately upon assuming office to benefit more than 50 lakh farmers.
About a third of the population today does not get balanced food, good shelter, education, healthcare and such other essentials to lead decent lives
The total recurring annual expenditure on the scheme would be more than Rs5,000 crore; but agriculture budget 2018-19 allocated only Rs4,511 crore for the agriculture department. In such a financial position, how can the government provide another Rs5,000 crore for KALIA.
The manifesto also proposes that ongoing irrigation schemes would continue and additional Rs10,000 crore will be provided for more such projects. The current irrigation budget is more than Rs 10,000 crore; If another Rs 10,000 crore is added the total expenditure under water resources department would be over Rs 20,000 crore. How will the government arrange funds to meet the proposed expenditure?
No mention has been made about payment of pension to farmers who have attained 60 years of age. There is no mention about providing infrastructure facilities for marketing of agricultural produce; and there is no vision document for setting up agro-processing industries for value addition of agricultural produce to enable farmers get remunerative prices for produce.
The BJP has also made many promises to farmers. The party has promised to amend the Land Reforms Act to enable sharecroppers to avail crop insurance facility, and compensation in case of crop loss, among other things. This they promise to achieve without diluting land rights of existing landowners. They also promise infrastructure to double farmers’ income by 2022. Another promise is Rs1 lakh crore for irrigation facilities in five years. Although the BJP appears comprehensive it needs to be seen how it proposes to mobilize resources to meet the financial requirements; it should be seen whether they will have to resort to borrowings which would be fiscal imprudence.
The Congress, too, has a comprehensive manifesto. It also promises revision of Land Reforms Act to ensure justice to sharecroppers. It further promises creation of a farmers’ income commission and waiving farm loans up to Rs2 lakh per farmer. Other promises include bonus of Rs850 above MSP of paddy per quintal; setting up a Vegfed on the pattern of Omfed, pension of Rs1,500 to farmers who have attained the age of 60 and Rs10,000 for each farmer to purchase inputs for production of crops and vegetables; special attention to accelerating irrigation projects emphasis on repair, renovation and expansion of traditional water bodies.
The promises are lucrative to farmers but what are the resources to finance these proposals. If the Congress is voted to power, can they implement these promises without resorting to borrowings beyond the allowable limit of FRBM Act?
The experience of the last 72 years of Independence reminds us that promises are made for uplift of farmers; but very conveniently these promises are broken. However farmers seem to be prepared now to punish political parties through the ballot for forgetting promises they made during the elections. The political parties should now be extremely careful to make promises that they cannot fulfil. Else, they would face the wrath of farmers.
The writer is an agro-banker and columnist.