Swaminathan Commission | SabrangIndia News Related to Human Rights Tue, 13 Feb 2024 14:04:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://sabrangindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Favicon_0.png Swaminathan Commission | SabrangIndia 32 32 Farmers Protest: Braving tear gas, blockades, state obstructions, farmers journey towards Delhi to demand law on MSP https://sabrangindia.in/farmers-protest-braving-tear-gas-blockades-state-obstructions-farmers-journey-towards-delhi-to-demand-law-on-msp/ Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:59:59 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=33125 Solidarity for the protesting farers facing unjustified and unproportional state action pours in from Tamil Nadu, farm leaders stand firm by the protest being a protest by all farmers

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]]> On the morning of February 13, the farmers began with their march towards the national capital to participate in the Farmers’ march to demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for their produce along with six other demands, which include implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations that provide for safeguarding the interest of small farmers and addressing the issue of increasing risk overtaking agriculture as a profession, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence also form a part of the demands made. A demand for 200 days’ daily wage and Rs 700 per daily wage for MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers also form a part of their demands. 

But, for those who began their march in northern Haryana and Punjab states, the journey to reach Delhi will be not easy as extensive attempts to stop the farmers are being made by the state and union governments. Visuals from the Haryana border have been surfacing since the morning, showcasing the repressive tactics being used by the Haryana government, including tear gas, water cannons and even rubber pellets, while stopping the farmers from joining their peaceful march and exercise their right to protest. As was reported yesterday, Haryana police had sealed multiple entry points into the capital with barriers of giant metal containers, barbed wire, spikes and cement blocks and had even suspended internet service and bulk SMS services in some districts of Haryana state. 

Today, the Haryana police indulged in dropping tear gas canisters on the protesting farmers from a drone at one of the border points in northern Haryana state that leads to New Delhi. Pictures emerged on social media that showed thick clouds of tear gas being used to disperse the farmers near the city of Ambala.

Here are some visual from the ground. These visuals show protestors being detained by the police. 

The farmers could be seen braving through these state tactics of suppression.

The unjustified usage of such state actions against unarmed farmers was unproportional as the farmers and the leaders of the farmers union kept reiterating their objective of peacefully protesting for their demands. Sarvan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee told ANI news agency that “We will move peacefully and our objective is that the government listens to our demands.”

He additionally said “We do not want to break any barricades. We want a resolution of our issues through dialogue. But if they (the government) do nothing, then what will we do? It is our compulsion.” 

A video of Pandher can be viewed here:

A group of Tamil Nadu farmers in Trichy also lent support to ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers’ protest. These farmers could be seen sitting on a road and exercising their right to protest and show solidarity freely and without any state interference. In a video, farmer leader P Ayyakannu can be heard saying, “As per the Constitution, we can move freely within the country for our rights but the police are not allowing farmers to protest in Delhi. If PM Modi contests from any constituency in Tamil Nadu in the coming elections, then farmers will file nomination against him from that constituency.”

His video can be viewed here:

Bharatiya Kisan Union president and Farmer leader Naresh Tikait also showed his solidarity and support with the protesting farmers, urging for the Modi-led union government to hold talks with the farmers, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “stubborn approach” is proving to be dangerous. He stated that “Protests are underway in the entire country…The government should sit with us and hold discussions and give respect to the farmers. Government should think about this issue and try to solve this.” The BKU also chief wondered whether the farmers will always be in the agitation mode, blocking roads or heading towards Delhi.

His video can be viewed here:

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait also extended his support for the protesting farmers and said that if the BJP-led Haryana government or the Union government tried to create problems for these farmers then he is not far from them and could join the protest anytime.

“MSP guarantee law and Swaminathan Committee report, Electricity amendment bill and debt waiver are the issues of the farmers across the country. There are several farmer unions and they have different issues. If the government creates a problem for these farmers who are marching towards Delhi, we are not far from them. We are in support of them,” Rakesh Tikait could be heard telling ANI. 

His video can be viewed here:

Related:

Farmers’ Protest: Physical repression, prohibitory orders, Delhi entry blocked – Déjà Vu?

Farmer leaders detained in Madhya Pradesh, made to sit at police stations, saw police raids at night- attempts to stop farmers from joining protest intensify

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]]> Strong response if WB govt does not pass MSP Bill: SKM https://sabrangindia.in/strong-response-if-wb-govt-does-not-pass-msp-bill-skm/ Thu, 16 Sep 2021 12:38:40 +0000 http://localhost/sabrangv4/2021/09/16/strong-response-if-wb-govt-does-not-pass-msp-bill-skm/ SKM’s West Bengal chapter submits a letter to the state government calling for the speedy implementation of the MSP Bill

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West Bengal farmers will start a strong movement if Minimum Support Prices (MSP) is not made a legal assurance for all agri-produce, said the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), on September 16, 2021.

Stating that over 60 percent of people and 68 percent land in the state is engaged in agriculture, the AIKSCC farmers submitted a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with a draft of the MSP law to demand legalisation of the remunerative prices.

“The National Commission on Farmers (Swaminathan Commission) has recommended a policy of remunerative pricing which clearly states that the minimum price of the agricultural produce should be fixed by adding at least 50 percent to the comprehensive cost of production,” said AIKSCC Secretary Avik Saha during a press conference on Thursday.

Farmers said that they are unable to earn enough despite good investment and good yields. Agriculture accounts for 27 percent of the state’s GDP yet farmers’ conditions continue to deteriorate.

“Farmers are not able to meet the basic needs of the family with the income they are getting from the prices they are getting for their produce, after deducting the cost of production,” said State Secretary Kartick Pal.

Moreover, the AIKSCC said that farmers and agricultural workers are suffering severe debt. In some cases, some farmers are driven to death by suicide. Farmers said that it is the constitutional duty of the government to protect the lives and livelihoods of farmers and all people associated with it.

“The state government must formulate policies to ensure the implementation of the Right to Life and the Right to Livelihood and to prevent the misery of farmers by enacting and enforcing appropriate laws,” said Saha.

A demand for legal MSP has been a longstanding demand of farmers participating in the nationwide struggle as well. On September 15, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) said that the National Statistical Office’s (NSO) seventy-seventh survey revealed how the mandi system was weakening under the BJP-led central government. Farmers said this can be correlated to the decline in real farm incomes of agricultural households.

“The NSSO report shows that the percentage of agricultural households that sold their produce at the government mandis has decreased significantly between 2013 and 2019 – this is the period that coincides with the NDA-1 regime of the Modi Government. The majority of the agricultural households were unaware of the MSP announced by the government, and most blamed lack of infrastructure for not being able to sell at the APMC mandis,” said the SKM.

The SKM alleged that such facts argue that the government is weakening mandis in the favor of corporations. Farmers across India are preparing for Bharat Bandh on September 27.

Related:

WB activists and CSOs demand delinking of Census from NPR-NRC process
Ayush Sinha sent on leave: Farmers call Haryana govt’s move, righting of a severe wrong
Lakhs of farmers flood Muzaffarnagar mahapanchayat!

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]]> Why MSP Is Not Satisfying Farmers https://sabrangindia.in/why-msp-not-satisfying-farmers/ Tue, 09 Oct 2018 06:24:28 +0000 http://localhost/sabrangv4/2018/10/09/why-msp-not-satisfying-farmers/ Apart from the fact that it doesn’t give enough returns, two other factors are confining the Modi govt’s MSP policy mostly to paper.      Just over 12% of wheat farmers in the country are able to sell their produce to government agencies and in most states, prices in mandis (wholesale markets) remain below MSP […]

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Apart from the fact that it doesn’t give enough returns, two other factors are confining the Modi govt’s MSP policy mostly to paper.

Wheat MSP
 
Just over 12% of wheat farmers in the country are able to sell their produce to government agencies and in most states, prices in mandis (wholesale markets) remain below MSP (minimum support price) for most of the season. These two crucial factors – ignored by the government – are causing the whole MSP policy to leave farmers dissatisfied and in distress. This is in addition to the fact that the government is in any case fixing the MSP at levels which are much below the total cost+50% that farmers have been demanding, as reported earlier by Newsclick.

Share%20of%20Wheat%20farmers.png

As the above graphic shows, a majority of farmers in only Punjab and Haryana are able to sell their wheat to government procurement agencies. These two states together make up only about 7% of the country’s wheat farmers. In Uttar Pradesh, which has an estimated 1.5 crore wheat farmers, the largest number in India, only about 11 lakh farmers (7%) could sell their produce to government agencies. In Rajasthan, the share was even lower at 4% while in MP, the share was 22%. These five states together account for 77% of wheat growers in India. These data have been computed from the Price Policy Report for Rabi 2019-20 published by the Commission on Agricultural Costs & Prices, under the Agriculture Ministry, and the Agricultural Census data on operational holdings 2010-11 and 2015-16.

But this is not all. The Rabi Price Policy Report also reveals that in most states, barring Punjab and Haryana, wheat was sold at below the fixed MSP for most of this year’s marketing season spanning the months of April, May and June when the wheat crop is brought to markets by farmers.

Shockingly, in UP and Rajasthan, almost the whole three-month long season went by with wheat prices quoted at below MSP while in MP over two thirds of the season saw daily prices below the benchmark. Only in Punjab and Haryana did the bulk of the season pass with farmers able to get MSP level prices for wheat.

Days.png

If this is the state of affairs, it is small wonder that farmers are in turmoil across the country. Like many of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schemes, this policy too is turning out to be mostly confined to paper. And, that means that farmers’ distress is not at all getting assuaged by policy announcements. The situation is worse for other rabi crops like barley, mustard, safflower etc.

There are several reflections of this continuing distress and the failure of the Modi government to assuage this: a joint platform of over 200 farmers’ and other people’s organisations have given a call for a long march to Delhi in November this year. Only a few days back, farmers from several North Indian states tried to march to Delhi but were stopped and brutalised at the orders of the central government at the Delhi-UP border. Farmers’ suicides continue unabated despite a good crop this year.

The failures of the Modi government on the agrarian front will have repercussions for the forthcoming Assembly election polls which will be held in MP and Rajasthan too. Farmers’ mounting anger is already reflecting in opinion polls which show a tight race or even a loss for BJP in these polls. And it will also be an issue in the general elections next year.

Courtesy: Newsclick.in

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]]> Modi Regime’s Fixing of MSP on Kharif Crops a Betrayal of Promises to Farmers: AIKS https://sabrangindia.in/modi-regimes-fixing-msp-kharif-crops-betrayal-promises-farmers-aiks/ Wed, 04 Jul 2018 14:00:57 +0000 http://localhost/sabrangv4/2018/07/04/modi-regimes-fixing-msp-kharif-crops-betrayal-promises-farmers-aiks/ The All India Kisan Sabha has called the recent announcement of the Modi government of MSP on the kharif crop a ‘Historic Betrayal of Farmers’, pointing out that the riginal promise was related to  a promised C2+50% and an assured procurement of the crop by government.     Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP had […]

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]]> The All India Kisan Sabha has called the recent announcement of the Modi government of MSP on the kharif crop a ‘Historic Betrayal of Farmers’, pointing out that the riginal promise was related to  a promised C2+50% and an assured procurement of the crop by government.

 

 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP had generated high hopes and got the support of farmers in 2014 elections by promising that the Swaminathan commission recommendation of fixing MSP according to the formula C2+50%. 
 
It has betrayed them yet again by announcing MSP for the Kharif crops based on A2+FL costs instead of the promised more comprehensive C2 costs. Also no steps have been taken to ensure assured procurement. Without assured procurement any such announcement is only notional and will not accrue to the cultivating peasantry. 
 
The BJP Government’s tall claims that the decision on Kharif MSP is “historic” falls flat when one compares with the actual promise and the gap between A2+FL and C2 costs. It actually is a historic betrayal of the promise made to farmers of fixing MSP at a level of at least 150 percent of the C2 cost of production. 
 

Crop A2+FL 
Per Quintal		 C2 
Per Quintal		 MSP (2018-19)
Per Quintal		 C2+50%
 		 Difference Between C2+50 & MSP
Per Quintal
CACP Costs for 2018-19
Paddy 1166 1560  1750 2340 -590
Jowar Hybrid 1619 2183 2430 3274.5 -844.5
Bajra 990 1324 1950 1986 -33
Ragi 1931 2370 2897 3555 -658
Maize 1131 1480 1700 2220 -520
Arhar 3432 4981 5675 7471.5 -1796.5
Moong 4650 6161 6975 9241.5 -2266.5
Urad 3438 4989 5600 7483.5 -1883.5
Groundnut 3260 4186 4890 6279 -1389
Sunflower Seed 3592 4501 5388 6751.5 -1363.5
Soyabean 2266 2972 3399 4458 -1059
Sesamum 4166 6053 6249 9079.5 -2830.5
Nigerseed 3918 5135 5877 7702.5 -1825.5
Cotton 
(Medium Staple)		 3433 4514 5150 6771 -1621

 

  • The above table clearly shows that if the promised C2+50% formula was used for calculating MSP it should have been much higher. 
  • It also has to be noted that there is huge disparity in cost calculation by Central agencies and States. Centrally determined costs are much lower than the costs determined by the State Agricultural departments. Both of these fall below farmers’ actual costs. 
  • The MSP recommended by State Governments (including BJP ruled States) based on their cost calculations are much higher than MSP announced.
  • Public procurement is mainly taking place only in few crops like paddy and wheat and that too is below 20 percent of the total production. In most other crops there is no procurement in most States.

 
Costs of certain crops and recommendations by the States will bring out starkly the betrayal by the Narendra Modi led BJP Government. 
 
For the Paddy crop, the State projection of cost of production for 2017-18 by Andhra Pradesh was Rs.1866/Qtl while the CACP projection for the State was merely Rs.1495/Qtl. Andhra Pradesh had proposed Rs.2799/Qtl. 
 
Notably the BJP ruled States of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh had proposed MSP of Rs.3251/Qtl, Rs.2,200/Qtl and Rs.2,700/Qtl respectively for paddy in 2017-18. Other major paddy growing States like Tamilnadu and Punjab had recommended MSP of Rs.2300/Qtl and Rs.2000/Qtl for 2017-18. 
 
A full one year after that the BJP Government has announced Rs.1750/Qtl. The LDF Government in Kerala is already procuring at Rs.2350/Qtl. Due to the absence of public procurement farmers in most States are forced to sell at distress prices ranging from Rs.800/Qtl to Rs.1200/Qtl even when MSP was Rs.1550/Qtl. 
 
BJP ruled Gujarat had proposed Rs.6500/Qtl for groundnut last year while the MSP announced by the centre was a mere Rs.4890/Qtl. Farmers were expecting a huge hike in pulses as an incentive for producing more to meet the country’s needs and also for naturally fixing nitrogen to the tune of about Rs.4000/hectare. 
 
For Arhar/Tur, the cost of production determined by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were Rs.5984/Qtl amd Rs.7123/Qtl while the CACP projections were way below at Rs.5683/Qtl only for both the States. Farmers are forced to sell at rates ranging between Rs.3400/Qtl to Rs.4,200/Qtl only which is below the then MSP of Rs.5450/Qtl, while this BJP Government is assuring MSP to farmers in Mozambique. Same trend continues for Moong and Urad. 
 
Karnataka which is a major producer of Arhar/Tur had suggested an MSP of Rs.7000/Qtl while the MSP announced is only Rs.5675/Qtl which is way below the cost of production in the major Arhar/Tur growing States. Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh had suggested Rs.4800/Qtl and Rs.4000/Qtl for soyabean while the MSP announced is only Rs.3399/Qtl. 
 
For cotton the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governments cost projection for 2017-18 was Rs.5042/Qtl and Rs.5337/Qtl while CACP projection was only Rs.4625/Qtl. They had proposed MSP of Rs.7564/Qtl and Rs.8005/Qtl respectively and BJP ruled Maharashtra had proposed Rs.7204/Qtl while the MSP announced is only Rs.5150/Qtl. 
 
Illusion of Bounty
Clearly, on looking into the costs of production projected by the States and the Centre, MSP proposed by States and the MSP announced we can understand that the BJP Government led by Narendra Modi is seeking to create an illusion of bounty while they actually are actually pegging farmers’ costs way below the actual and the MSP announced is actually a betrayal of what had been promised. 
 
Four years of the BJP Government has passed without doing anything for farmers and they are now seeking to hoodwink farmers by making an aggressive campaign on the eve of impending elections. AIKS condemns this callous attitude of the BJP Government that exposes its utter failure and calls for revision of MSP according to the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and for ensuring assured procurement. AIKS has chalked out mass campaign, Jail Bharo on 9thAugust and massive Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally on 5thSeptember. We call upon all democratic organisations and individuals interested in farmers’ welfare to join in much greater numbers in these protests against the betrayal by the BJP Government. 
 
(The press release has been issued by Ashok Dhawale and Hannan Mollah, President and General Secretary of the AIKS)
 

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