Need to find quick resolution to farmers’ agitation

At the end of each day, all that both sides do is address each other through the media that they are ready for talks.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at several Delhi border points for 21 days on the trot, causing closure of several routes. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

As the farmers’ protest entered the 21st day on Wednesday, there appears to be no end to the deadlock over the new farm laws. Neither the government nor the farmers are ready to concede any ground on the core demand, that is the repeal of the laws. At the end of each day, all that both sides do is address each other through the media that they are ready for talks.

In the meantime, the protest and road blockade are beginning to take a toll. There has been no toll collection in Punjab since October 1 as the farmers have opened the gates, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 3 crore daily to the National Highways Authority of India. Punjab itself is suffering, with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh saying the state could lose Rs 40,000 crore in revenue.

The security angle cannot be downplayed either as inimical forces can take advantage of the crisis.
Whether the new laws will benefit the farmers, free them from the yoke of middlemen or favour corporates is a matter of debate. But the agriculture sector is badly in need of an overhaul. The government is saddled with a burgeoning subsidy bill and a huge foodgrain surplus.

The excess buffer stock either gets eaten by rats or rots in the rain. This cannot be exported either as international prices are far lower. From the farmers’ perspective, income has remained stagnant, if not declined, as prices are no longer remunerative. Agriculture price fluctuation has only made things worse for them. The income gap between farmers and non-agricultural workers has also widened to over `1.5 lakh, making farming no longer an attractive job option.

Many are flocking to cities in search of a livelihood, putting pressure on urban centres. So there is a crying need for structural reforms. Many governments, including those led by the Congress, have attempted to reform the sector. Several expert groups, too, have advocated change. Given this dire need, it is time to break the deadlock. The onus lies more on the Centre than the agitating farmers. Government representatives have often said they don’t have any ego. Now is the time to show they really mean it.