Farmer suicides nobody’s case

At least 2,70,940 Indian farmers had taken their lives since 1995, the National Crime Records Bureau statistics of 2011 showed. By the hour, the hapless farmers of our country are dying and yet no demand for any Minister's resignation is made by anyone as if it is a non-issue. Neither the UPA, both I and II, nor the present BJP-led NDA would ever bother about these, because they take pride in "ushering in the new economy" which is more contextual for the urban voters

None to listen to their plight

• Instead of slogans like "save the farmer" or "stop the suicides," the august house of Parliament resounds with "no discussions without resignations" and "no resignations, business first.”

• No party issues whip when farmers' plight is discussed, but it is done in case of a motion for or against the government

NDA toes UPA line

The first Budget of the NDA Government set itself a target of sustaining a 4% growth rate in agriculture and a common national market for agri produce. Yet, no perceptible measures for it Spurt in non-farm rural activities During 2004-05/2009-10, total employment stagnated and rural employment declined,but rural non-agricultural employment showed a significant growth of 2.8 per cent per annum

Nation looks other way Farmer suicides occurred at an annual average of 14,462 in six years, from 1995 to 2000 and at a yearly average of 16,743 in 11 years between 2001 and 2011

11,774 farmer suicides in 2013

Four major reasons

1. Low growth in agriculture sector;

2. Fragmentation of land holdings;

3. Dryland agriculture; and

4. Slow capital formation.

Amid all the ruckus and stalemate that dominated Parliament during this monsoon session so far, twice or so, some meaningful issues have been raised by a handful of members. It is painful to note that just a few mentions have been made instead of anyone insisting on a serious debate on the plight of farmers in this country.

It is bone-chilling to note that this august House has no time for any debate on the crisis that has hit the agrarian sector, as if it is the least priority item on the agenda of the law makers. While copious tears have been shed on the injustice to farmers, that the MPs have little are no time for the plight of the former during the non-election years is a sad commentary.

At least 2,70,940 Indian farmers had taken their lives since 1995, the National Crime Records Bureau statistics of 2011 showed. This occurred at an annual average of 14,462 in six years, from 1995 to 2000 and at a yearly average of 16,743 in 11 years between 2001 and 2011.

That is around 46 farmers’ suicides each day, on an average. Or nearly one every half-hour since 2001. A similar compilation of the tragic times by the NCRB for 2013 showed that there were 11,774 farmers suicides in the country. Going by the spate of these forced suicides, the number cannot be any less when the figures come out next year or so.

By the hour, the hapless farmers of our country are dying and yet no demand for any Minister's resignation is made by anyone as if it is a non-issue. Somehow, the deaths related to the agricultural sector due to the callousness of the governments have never been seen as a reason sufficient to demand someone's head.

The Department of Planning Programme Monitoring and Statistics of the Government of Karnataka - a State that stood second in farmers suicides with 1,403 cases out of the 11,774 in 2013 - in its Economic Survey listed four major reasons for the same: 1. Low growth in agriculture sector; 2. Fragmentation of land holdings; 3. Dryland agriculture; and 4. Slow capital formation.

We could attribute these very reasons to farmers suicides in all the States, perhaps, with slight variations, and every statistician dealing with the subject would agree with it. For example, take the case of sugarcane producers of Karnataka (this was raised in the Parliament the other day and hence the mention), out of Rs 600 crore dues to farmers in 2013-14, only Rs 250 crore is said to have been paid. Reports from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also tell us that sugarcane farmers are not getting their due.

The other day tobacco farmers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had to rush to Delhi to highlight their grievance to the Union Ministers seeking MSP as promised for their produce and also purchase of the same – both of which are denied to them by the Tobacco Board.

When the first Union Budget was announced by the NDA Government setting itself a target of sustaining a 4% growth rate in agriculture against the odds posed by a deficit monsoon, it was believed that unlike in the previous UPA regime, the skyline would be brighter for the farmers. The Budget announced a slew of measures to make farming competitive and better integrated with the market.

“There is an urgent need to step up investment, both public and private, in agro-technology development and creation and modernisation of existing agri-business infrastructure,” the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley then said while presenting his maiden budget.

The new schemes that were announced were intended to change not only farming practices but also storage, distribution, and marketing facilities to help farmers secure a better price. Considering the recommendations of the Economic Survey, the budget reiterated the need to link markets across the country by setting up a national market for farm produce.

In its election manifesto, the BJP had promised to take steps to enhance profitability in agriculture by ensuring a minimum of 50% profits over the cost of production, cheaper agriculture inputs and credit, introducing latest technologies for farming and high yielding seeds and linking MGNREGA to agriculture.

However, it was not explained then as to how a convergence of MGNREGA with agriculture would take place. The emphasis on infrastructural asset creation in agriculture only means use of more machines, materials and employing contractors which will only shrink the labour requirement. But this fact was given a silent burial in the Finance Minister's jargon.

Have the suicides come down or stopped completely now for the lawmakers not to discuss the issue with great urgency? Amid the role reversal's that we are seeing in Parliament, the only constant seems to be obstruction and non-conduct of any business. The slogan should have been "save the farmer" or "stop the suicides".

Instead, it is "no discussions without resignations" and "no resignations, business first.” No whip is issued by the party to its members to be present when farmers' plight is discussed, but it is done when it wants to defeat a motion for or against the government and vice versa.

Perhaps, the fact that a Parliamentarian's performance is not taken into account while voting for him or her in the elections comforts the MPs and hence they do not bother about rural India's plight. There seems to be no relationship between one's performance and re-election and hence, no one cares to address these issues. Neither the UPA, both I and II, nor the present BJP-led NDA would ever bother about these, because they take pride in "ushering in the new economy" which is more contextual for the urban voters.

A research programme undertaken by the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development on “Structural Changes, Industry and Employment in Indian Economy: Macro-economic Implications of Emerging Pattern” and estimates based on compilations of National Accounts Statistics since March 2009 show that rural non-farm activities employed 28.51 million workers in 1972-73; the number went up to 56.11 million by 1987-88 and to 93.53 million in 2004-05. According to one of the surveys of 2009-10, the number stood at 107.51 million in that year.

While the growth rate of employment in the total economy and rural areas as a whole declined in the period 1994-2005 over the earlier 10-year period, in the rural non-farm sector, it showed an increase. And when during 2004-05/2009-10, total employment stagnated and rural employment declined, rural non-agricultural employment showed a significant growth of 2.8 per cent per annum.

It could only mean that declining opportunities in agriculture which grew at a slow rate led to this shift. The Union government is hopeful of a good growth rate in agriculture but why should such a growth be accompanied with thousands of suicides every year is never understood. Also, it never seems to bother about this shift from farm to non-farm activity.

In the words of Dr M S Swaminathan “in a country where 60 per cent of people depend on agriculture for their livelihood, it is better to become an agricultural force based on food security rather than a nuclear force.” Anyone listening?