Pension plan for farmer

After the golden double-income slogan, MSP assurances and circuitous loan waiver commitments, the latest in an attempt to court the farmer is the pension dole. The Khattar government in Haryana is contemplating a pension scheme for farmers. The benign political gaze has shifted, in a big way, to the agitated, down-on-luck farmer. Not without reason: all parties believe he possibly holds the key to fortunes in the new big election year. There are no chances to be taken.

In Haryana, it is a clever effort to get around anti-incumbency, and counter the opposition’s loan waiver promise ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls. The state has in place a pension plan for its elderly. Under the Atal Pension Yojana, the Central share is Rs 1,000 per beneficiary. This, along with the state government's contributions, could whip up a decent sum for the farmer. While Haryana is at it, it should study Odisha’s Rs 10,000 crore Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation scheme for the farmer’s ‘overall’ development. The waiver component has been left out from the scheme, which will cover about 92 per cent farmers, extending to the lowest denominator: the small farmer. Another model is Telangana, where farmer suicide is common. The Rythu Bandhu programme provides financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre, per season, to all land-owning farmers. 

All parties have jumped merrily on the waiver bandwagon, which will help but a tiny segment, that too in the shortest term. For a robust and lasting solution, an all-inclusive comprehensive scheme is paramount. As Haryana — under fire for not implementing the Swaminathan report in toto — works out the modalities and feasibility of its new scheme, it must weigh in, and negate, the public perception that the bulk of beneficiaries in any programme are well-off farmers and the waiver is not so much to bail out farmers as is to help banks clean up their books. The farmer needs assistance, but to bring in real agricultural prosperity, for all, something more than just ‘vote’ should drive the movement.