Has PM Modi Done More for Farmers Than What Was Done in the Past 70 Years?

Since coming to power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been celebrated for his pro-nationalism stance and dedication to the country. He is often criticized for corruption scams and his stance on property, yet when it comes to agricultural reforms and welfare, his initiatives stand out. One of these is the farmer agitation at Delhi's border, organized by a group of leaders including](Shivkumar Kakkaji, Baldev Singh Nihalgarh, Hannan Mollah, Jagmohan Singh Patiala, Buta Singh, Burj Gill, Darshan Pal, Satnam Singh Pannu, Deep Sidhu, Lakha Sidhana, Malwa Youth Federation, Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, and Swaraj India President). While these leaders all aim for a political career breakthrough, no political party has truly made an extraordinary contribution to farmers beyond loan waivers, which are often used as a tactic to secure votes.

The PM-KISAN Scheme: A Financial Lifeline

Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, the Modi government provides financial assistance of 6,000 rupees annually to farmers, divided into three equal installments of 2,000 rupees each. This initiative is designed to alleviate financial pressure on rural communities. However, in Punjab, there has been a significant scam, as revealed by Venkatesh Nayak, a transparency activist. According to him, 4.74 lakh ineligible farmers are benefiting from the scheme, leading to a loss of 323.85 crore rupees for the Union Government. This highlights the need for stringent measures to ensure the integrity of such welfare programs.

Agricultural Transformation: A Comprehensive Approach

Over the last seven years, the Indian government has taken numerous steps to transform the agriculture sector. These include enhancing irrigation, introducing more technology, increasing credit availability, and expanding markets, along with proper crop insurance and focusing on soil health. The three bills proposed address different aspects of agricultural marketing, collectively aiming to reduce barriers for diverse agri-food supply chain actors. By reducing reliance on traditional APMC-based intermediaries ('disintermediation'), these bills seek to create a unified national market ('one nation - one market').

Legislative Reforms and Market Liberalization

Despite the bills emphasizing the welfare of farmers, much of the benefit is expected to be derived by supply chain actors. The proposed contracts farming bill provides a lighter framework that allows for minimal obligations. It also expands the scope to include farm services such as the supply of seeds, feed, fodder, agro-chemicals, machinery, technology advice, non-chemical agro-inputs, and other inputs. The bill excludes land leasing, preventing built structures on farm land, and mandates timely payments by sponsors to farmers.

Improved Market Access and MSP Hike

Modi's government has also taken measures to create a more efficient market environment. By allowing farmers to sell and purchase produce outside registered mandis and promoting barrier-free inter-state and intra-state trade, the government aims to reduce marketing and transportation costs. This will help in securing better prices for farmers. Additionally, the hike in Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for wheat and rice ensures a fair remuneration for farmers, further enhancing their livelihood.

In conclusion, while there are challenges and controversies surrounding the implementation of these initiatives, Prime Minister Modi's efforts have undeniably brought about significant reforms and support for the agricultural sector. The PM-KISAN Scheme, coupled with legislative reforms and economic measures, have the potential to transform the lives of millions of farmers, marking a substantial improvement from the past 70 years. As much of the agricultural community awaits further implementation and potential improvements, it is clear that these reforms are a step forward in the right direction.