-The Economic Times blog Farmers, from Punjab in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south, have started agitations demanding farm loans be waived. The Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra governments have already considered it politically expedient to write them off. Some other states may follow the suit. However, such decisions are as misguided as they are misleading. Nonetheless, it will be a mistake to treat the agitations as a domino effect of...
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Modi Government's Skewed Farm Sector Priorities Continue to Cause Farmer Distress -Ashwini Kulkarni
-TheWire.in While most farmers and farm land are from rainfed areas, the government focuses only on irrigated areas. How long will this unfair treatment continue? After an intense period of farmers’ agitation, the Maharashtra government has announced a loan waiver. Madhya Pradesh continues to simmer. Tamil Nadu farmers have expressed their distress in no uncertain terms. The loan waiver will probably make the farmers feel relieved for now, but the pivotal question...
More »Is Cattle Slaughter Ban Smart Economics? Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian Speaks Up -Aloke Tikku
-NDTV Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian says farmers would not only lose the income from livestock as meat but also have to incur additional costs to maintain unproductive cattle. Already, he adds, there was research to suggest that returns to livestock farming are in any case "very low or even negative". NEW DELHI: Arvind Subramanian, the government's Chief Economic Adviser, has broken his silence on the issue of cattle slaughter. And...
More »Small or marginal farmers: Debt waiver tough call for Punjab -Vibhor Mohan
-The Times of India Chandigarh: Nearly three months after being sworn in, the Congress government in Punjab is still working on farm debt waiver, its key poll plank in the last assembly elections. But even as the government panel hopes to submit an interim report this week, independent experts point out that given the poor financial health of the state and the Centre in no mood to offer a bailout, the...
More »Cabinet clears 5% interest subvention for crop loans
-The Hindu Scheme will continue for one year, be overseen by NABARD Amid growing protests over farm sector distress, the Cabinet has approved the extension of the interest subvention scheme for farmers to 2017-18. Short-term crop loans up to Rs. 3 lakh will receive a subvention of 5%, effectively reducing the rate for farmers to 4%. The government has earmarked a sum of Rs. 20,339 crore for this. The interest subvention scheme will...
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