Farmers say yes to income support plan

N Veerasekaran, state spokesperson of Bharathiya Kisan Sangh told DT Next that the monetary support of Rs 6,000 to the farmers would definitely play a supportive role for the marginalised farmers. “Since the amount would be directly credited to each farmer, it would be a benefit for them as there is no middle man in the transaction,” Veerasekran said.

He said that farmers, especially from Tamil Nadu, were expecting the loan waiver. He claimed that only 10 per cent of the farming community can enjoy the loan interest subventions. “Thus the indirect loan waiver will not help the common farmer, who has been really suffering,” he said and added “this direct income support of Rs 6,000 will take much time to understand.”

Meanwhile, P Ayyakannu, state president of Desiya Thennindiya Nadigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam said, the farmers were fighting for as many as 141 days in Delhi with major demand of loan waiver and implementing the MS Swaminathan Committee recommendations of 50 per cent more than the cost of cultivation. “But nothing has been mentioned in the Budget. Whenever, election comes, the leaders declare that farmers are the backbone of the country, but they treat us just like the slaves after that,” he said and pointed out that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to double the income of the farmers, but nothing has been witnessed so far.

While, PS Masilamani, a farmer leader from Tiruvarur said that the government says the new income support would help to avoid indebtedness. “But they did not do anything to reduce the debt burden under which majority of the farmers are reeling,” he added. He further said the income support should also be increased to at least Rs 10,000 per season instead of Rs 2,000 per season. 

The 3 per cent interest subvention for farmers whose loans were restructured due to calamities compensated by the National Disaster Relief Fund also came up for criticism. “As the farmers who lost crops due to calamity could not repay the loan, the entire loan should be waived instead of giving mere interest subvention,” he said.

Similarly, R Sukumaran of Kakkarai said that the government did not increase, in real terms, the Minimum Support Price by 50 per cent over the cost as claimed in the Budget,” he said pointing out the farmers were expecting at least Rs 3,000 per quintal of paddy and Rs 5,000 per quintal of sugarcane. “If farmers get the fair price for their produce there would be no need for such direct income support schemes,” he added.