Gandhinagar: The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today announced to host the next ‘Global Summit on Agriculture’ in Punjab during February, 2014. Mr. Badal demanded that the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) should be declared as statutory authority to enable it to function with full autonomy for making recommendations with regard to hike in the MSP of various crops so that the farmers could get remunerative prices of their produce.
At present, the CACP was merely a recommendatory authority which was working under the direct influence of Ministry of Agriculture, GoI and the final say for the fixation of MSP lies with the GoI on the further recommendations of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
Addressing the delegates, progressive farmers, agriculture scientists and experts from across the world on the inaugural session of three-day Global Summit on Agriculture at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, the Chief Minister lauded the efforts of his counterpart in Gujarat Mr. Narendra Modi for organizing this global summit on agriculture to highlight and find tangible solutions to the problems of farmers and agriculture in the country.
Seeks statutory status for CACP
Lauds Modi for taking this unique initiative
Emphasizes on inter-state collaboration amongst industries and entrepreneurs in agri-business
Blame GoI’s anti-farmers policies for slowdown in agriculture
Seeks package of Rs.5000 cr. for the green revolution states for diversification of agriculture
Pleads for acceptance of Dr. Swaminathan formula
Asks GoI to invest heavily in research & development in agriculture and allied sectors
He said it is indeed a very noble initiative for which Mr. Modi deserved all applause for this. Mr. Badal said that agriculture was the oldest source of livelihood in the world as majority of the population in the developing countries and sizeable chunk of the poor throughout the world depend on agriculture. In India also 53% of the population was still dependant on agriculture. He appreciated the Indian Farmers have an impressive long-term record of taking the country out of serious food shortages despite rapid population increase. This was achieved through the farmers' hard work and sacrifices.
Underlining the need to encourage the Inter-State collaboration amongst the Industries and entrepreneurs in agri-business, Mr. Badal believed that there should also be an inter-state collaboration for the promotion of agriculture development in the country. He said our government has introduced a new investment promotion policy and therefore he invited all the entrepreneurs and farmers to make huge investments in Punjab. He assured of all possible help and support on behalf of the Punjab Government, to the interested entrepreneurs looking for lucrative opportunities in the agro-processing industry.
Mr. Badal said that he represented a State, which was known as the ‘Granary of India’ with just 1.5% of the total area of the country, it provides about 50% of food grains procured by Government of India to ensure food security. He said that Punjab’s farmers have a record of pulling the country out of the era of food shortages. But in the process, they have sacrificed their vital natural resources: water and soil fertility, which resulted in the reduction of their farm income substantially. He pointed out consequently; the agriculture crisis in Punjab was very acute. He mentioned our farmers were under heavy debt of Rs.30, 000 Crore, every farming family on an average was under a debt of Rs.2.71 lac. Thus, we needed major investments in diversification and had already asked for a package of Rs.5000 Cr. for the green revolution states from GoI , but it has provided only Rs.500 Cr. which is too little and insufficient.
Citing the main cause for agricultural crisis as the anti-farmer policies of the Government of India, Mr. Badal said that though agriculture was the State subject but all major policies and decisions on agriculture were governed by Centre including the determination of prices of major inputs and agricultural produce. Mr. Badal lamented that while the input prices have been surging regularly, the market price for agriculture crops have not raised proportionately. As a result, the gap between the farmers input cost and income has been rising continuously, rendering most of the farmers poor.
The Chief Minister said that there were worldwide upswing agricultural subsidies to sustain agriculture but the case was just opposite in India. The States which give input subsidies to the farmers were severely condemned for their pro-farmer policies. There was a wide gap between the cost of production and the income of the farmers. Today 83% of the farmers own up to 5 acres only. The GoI has not made adequate investments in agricultural research and development and mechanization. Diversification, said Mr. Badal was the major need of the hour, has not received the necessary government support, specially the progressive states. Agro-industries, including fruit, vegetables and food processing, have not been developed to create better markets and value additions.
Putting forth a slew of suggestions during the deliberations in the summit, Mr. Badal said that the lopsided policies of GoI should be changed to ensure profitable level of income to the farmers. The farmers should be given greater input subsidy and support for agriculture infrastructure development and mechanization. Remunerative market prices should be given not only for wheat and paddy but also for other crops. The first step towards this was the acceptance of the Dr. Swaminathan formula of fixing MSP which covers cost of production plus a margin of 50% to the farmers. As further growth in agriculture would be possible only with new technology, the Government of India should invest heavily in Research and Development in agriculture and allied sectors, added Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Advisor on Media and National Affairs Mr. Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary Mr. SK Sandhu, Financial Commissioner Development Mr. Suresh Kumar and Director Agriculture Dr. Mangal Singh Sandhu.