Farmers expect that this government make a radical break from all its earlier Budgets.
Unless that is done, the farmers unrest and agrarian crisis are not going to subside.
The National Crime Records Bureau data tells us that 1,00,474 farmers and agricultural workers committed suicide between 2015 and 2022.
This is a tragic indication of the agrarian crisis in the country.
The most important issue for farmers in the country today is statutory minimum support price at the rate of C2+50%, that is one-and-a-half times the comprehensive cost of production, as recommended by the M.S. Swaminathan Commission.
Unless that is done, it’s going to be impossible even to begin to resolve the agrarian crisis.
They will have to make Budgetary provisions to implement this
The second point is about the cost of production, which is continuously rising.
The govt. must cut down the cost of production by reducing the price of fertilizers, seeds, insecticides, diesel, water and electricity.
Rates of all these inputs are going up.
A statutory MSP at a rate of C2+50% may have no meaning if the cost of production is not brought down.
The government should bring control through the Budget on the corporates who are producing the inputs.
The third expectation from the Budget is that they give a complete one-time loan waiver for farmers and agricultural workers all over the country.
Unless this is done, farm suicides cannot be prevented.
The fourth point is relevant in the context of climate change and the environmental situation.
In the light of continuous drought, flood, unseasonal rains and hailstorms, there should be a comprehensive crop insurance scheme, which is totally different from the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
The fifth point is on the question of irrigation and power.
Public sector investment in irrigation and power has been cut down in the last 10 years.
These sectors are being handed over to the private companies and hence, the cost of water and power is increasing.
A number of irrigation projects are incomplete in the country. If they are completed, a large section of land will come under irrigation.
So, the Budget should have provisions to complete these irrigation projects.
The sixth point is about the expansion of MGNREGA.
Ever since the Modi Government came to power, they have been trying to starve MGNREGA of funds.
The number of work days has come to just 42.
The government will have to increase the wages to ₹600 and the number of days of work to at least 200
The seventh point, is the question of land.
In total violation of the Land Acquisition Act, there’s massive acquisition of farm lands by corporate houses.
Land acquisition must be done only when strictly necessary for a public purpose.
Radical land reforms must be initiated and completed.
To raise resources for all this, the Union government must impose wealth tax and inheritance tax.
They have tremendously reduced corporate tax. They must restore it. Rich have to pay more income tax and the middle class should get some relief.
Direct taxes must be increased and indirect taxes must be reduced.
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