Farm loan waiver Is it populism or pragmatism? The concern for Kissan and Jawan is new mantra and floater, trailer for elections 2019. The unemployment and under employment is a serious issue facing the Nation. The Congress has been quick to honour its commitment in 1o days with a waiver of up to 2 lakhs in all the 3 states under its belt and thus steal the thunder. Earlier the Congress under UPA had written off loans up to 72000 thousand crores and that did not stop farmers suicides altogether. Almost all states including BJP have huge debts not withstanding loans waiver to farmers. The farmers that have borrowed from institutions , banks and cooperatives stand to benefit, but not the large numbers ,who owe private lenders .Will it stop farmers suicides and promote agrarian reforms? There is pitch for National farm loan waiver by Rahul Gandhi and BJP is in a catch 22 situation. Will the money for social reforms diverted to loan waiver or Govt. resort to a dose of heavy taxation by cutting social developments?
The farmers are assured that it has Govt who listens and will address their long term issues of inputs seeds, fertilizers,, water ,power, machinery, market access, remunerative prices, storage facilities, transportations etc. The write off loans for a select Industrialists does not catch the headlines like farmers waiver. Farmers loan waiver is not a single party issue anymore .The situation has turned from bad to worse The last section of our society must be uplifted from poverty. The farmers feed the Nation and hence deserve considerations of loss suffered by natural calamities too. The life of farmers in distress is worth saving Farm sector provides employment in large numbers .Short term measures like loan waivers may not be the answer to their farming problems. and loan waivers are bad economics. Nelson Lopes Chinchinim
