New Delhi [India]: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Food Processing on Tuesday submitted its First Report (Eighteenth Lok Sabha) on the ‘Demands for Grants (2024-25)’ for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The report, presented by Charanjit Singh Channi, former Punjab Chief Minister and current MP from Jalandhar, outlines key priorities and financial proposals for India’s agricultural sector in the upcoming fiscal year.
Key Recommendations:
- Increase in Budgetary Allocations to Agriculture: The report highlighted a decline in agriculture’s share of total central plan outlay, urging the government to enhance budget allocations to improve productivity and support farmers.
- Change in Department Nomenclature: The committee recommended renaming the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to Department of Agriculture, Farmers, and Farm Labourers Welfare to better reflect the sector’s focus on the welfare of agricultural labourers.
- Increase in PM-KISAN Support: The report called for an increase in the annual support under the PM-KISAN scheme from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000, and extending seasonal incentives to tenant farmers and farm labourers.
- Minimum Support Price (MSP) as Legal Guarantee: The committee stressed the need for a legally binding MSP, which would help reduce farmer suicides by ensuring financial stability and reducing market volatility.
- Universal Crop Insurance for Small Farmers: The report recommended implementing Universal Crop Insurance for farmers with landholdings of up to 2 hectares, similar to the PM-JAY health insurance scheme.
- Minimum Living Wages for Farm Labourers: The committee urged the establishment of a National Commission for Minimum Living Wages for farm labourers to ensure their rights and welfare.
- Debt Waiver Scheme for Farmers and Farm Labourers: A proposal was made to introduce a government-backed debt waiver scheme to alleviate rising farmer debt, which has been linked to suicides and agricultural distress.
These recommendations aim to address key challenges in India’s agricultural sector, focusing on improving productivity, welfare, and financial stability for farmers and agricultural labourers.
Ongoing Farmers’ Protest:
Amid these recommendations, the farmers’ protests continue to intensify. Sarwan Singh Pandher, a farmer leader, announced a ‘Rail Roko’ protest in Punjab on December 18, urging participation from the public. The protests, which have now entered their 309th day, demand urgent government action on various issues, including the implementation of the demands raised by farmers.
Pandher criticized the central government for neglecting farmers’ concerns, emphasizing unity in the protest. He also highlighted the critical health condition of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a key protest leader on a hunger strike, urging immediate intervention to save his life.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manickam Tagore moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss Dallewal’s health, urging the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with farmers.
These ongoing protests reflect the growing discontent among farmers, who are demanding a comprehensive response to their grievances. The government’s upcoming decisions on the agriculture budget and the implementation of key recommendations will be closely watched by the farming community.