-Down to Earth Although farmers vote at least as much, if not more than industrial workers or urban middle classes, elections are not fought around farmers' issues Elections are about numbers. Democratic politics is about stitching together a majority. So, the larger a group, the bigger is its “vote bank”, and greater is its electoral clout. A social group that constitutes a majority can therefore dictate its terms in an electoral democracy....
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Trying to address farm challenges: Gujarat chief secretary -Vasudha Venugopal
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Gujarat government is taking measures to meet rural challenges, chief secretary JN Singh told ET on Friday. The government was focused on improving implementation of schemes related to irrigation, minimum support price and crop insurance for farmers. Gujarat saw a tough fight in the recently-concluded assembly polls, with BJP winning only 7 seats more than what was needed for an absolute majority. BJP lost 13...
More »Farm distress and electoral outcomes -EA Ramaswamy
-The Hindu Business Line Gujarat result shows politicians and governments would pay attention to farmer woes only when they are hit where it hurts Agriculture is in the eye of the storm, and we must thank Gujarat elections for this turn of events. Agrarian distress is gaining eyeballs like never before. Farmers have tried all kinds of methods in the past, but to no avail. They committed suicide, but it didn’t matter....
More »Why are Indian farmers angry? -Dipti Jain and Tadit Kundu
-Livemint.com Rising input costs and lack of remunerative prices have turned the terms of trade against the Indian farmer While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to retain its stronghold of Gujarat in the recent state assembly elections, it conceded significant ground to the Congress in rural and semi-rural constituencies. The results bring to the fore the problem of rural discontent, as farmers intensify their protests against non-remunerative prices for their produce...
More »crop insurance footprints increased but delayed claim payouts left farmers in crisis -Vishwa Mohan
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: New Delhi: New crop insurance scheme, launched in Kharif (summer-sown) season of 2016, has increased its footprints across the country with more area being covered in 2016-17 as compared to 2015-16 and 2014-15, but it has miles to go before it can actually bring relief to farmers due to current delay in claim disbursement. The claim settlement is not as fast as it was expected during...
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