IS THE SITUATION DIE OR DIE?

India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry and fisheries accounted for 13.7% of the GDP. We have achieved the status of world's largest producer of many fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, major spices, jute, millets and castor oil seed. Also, India is the second largest producer of wheat and rice, the world's major food staples and the world's second or third largest producer of several dry fruits, pulses, eggs, sugarcane and numerous vegetables. It seems that our agriculture sector is booming and we should boast about it. These are statistics as a whole. But when we look our agriculture at an individual level, we find a different story. The condition of Indian farmers are so miserable that they are forced to suicide. The reasons for suicide is not only restricted to crop failure but there are multiple reasons such as habits like drinking and gambling, Family problems with spouse, Marriage of daughters, prolonged illness, property disputes, debt burden, etc. The government cannot address all problems but can solve substantial portion of them.

Remember the movie "Peepli Live" which was based on the story of farmers who quit farming and some just end up in suicide. In the movie, all the media rushed into a farmer named Natha's home to cover his serious suicidal joke in detail to see when, why, and how he is going to suicide. While other farmer took his life at the same place but media gave no attention towards him because it was Natha who is giving them TRPs. Ultimately, Natha abandoned his village, quit farming and became a labour in a metro city.

Narendra Modi during his campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha election said "Wo(congress party) kehte hai paise ped pe nahi ugte...Mai kehta hoon paise khet aur khallihano me kisaan ke pasine se ugte hai". These kind of rhetorical speech made him win the election. The Land Ordinance his government is pushing will make several Natha to quit farm. Yes, the "Make In India" will obviously succeed, government will gain more revenues and substantial amount of jobs will be created. But, Is generating more revenues the only job of government? Is government a business firm? Is it good to fulfil one promise at the cost of other?

Hope the government will listen to the farmer's query and take this ordinance back or make substantial changes in accordance with Farmers.

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The Sunshine Within You

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