NEW DELHI: Even as doubling of farmers’ income remains an elusive task for the NDA government at the Centre, it could look at the provisions of National Food Security Act (NFSA) for a possible short-cut.
Putting spot light on 67 per cent of the population being provided wheat and rice at cheaper rates of Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg respectively, former Union Agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain on Saturday said the farmers’ income could be increased by rising the price of food grains being provided under the NFSA.
“There are provisions in the NFSA to increase the price of grains for the needy, but that did not happen. Should we really give wheat and rice at Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg to 67 per cent of our population? My answer is in the negative,” Hussain remarked while taking a part in a webinar organised on Saturday by the India Policy Foundation.
Hussain, while referring to the discontent among farmers, said it is not possible to procure all food grains on Minimum Support Prices (MSP).
He argued the wheat procured at Rs 18 per kg actually comes at an economic cost of Rs 25 per kg. For rice, the amount goes up to Rs 35 per kg. It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a call for doubling farmers’ income by 2022, but the deadline has since been pushed further, with the Centre switching gear to lay stress on the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report and increased MSP.
Umendra Dutt, executive director, Kheti Virasat Mission, Punjab linked the depleted water table in the state to the MSP-driven farming. He argued that every state should meet the requirements of at least 4-5 commodities locally, which can ensure that the farmers won’t be dependent on MSP.
He said one of the ways to address the farmers’ stress could be to look at the China model of direct income support. He also reasoned that the country should avoid frequent shocks to the economy, so that alternative income avenues can be made available to farmers.
“Till then, direct income support will be a better way to maintain farmers’ income,” added Hussain.