‘Sankalp Patra’ falls short on farmers’ demands

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, April 14

The BJP’s manifesto or ‘Sankalp Patra’ for the LS poll missed the key demands and issues being raised by the farmers, including guaranteed MSP as per the Swaminathan commission’s recommendations and a loan waiver.

Even as the ruling party promised to develop agriculture infrastructure by launching a Krishi Infrastructure Mission, it did not make any commitment to guarantee the MSP for all crops, the prime reason behind the farmers’ agitation across the country. Also the BJP did not make any commitment for any relief to farmers in terms of agricultural loans.

No guaranteed MSP, loan waiver

• The BJP hasn’t made any commitment to guarantee the MSP for all crops, the prime reason behind the farmers’ agitation
• Also the ruling party did not make any commitment for any relief to farmers in terms of agricultural loans

The BJP has failed to fulfil several key commitments of its previous manifestos, including doubling farmers’ income by 2022, a pension scheme for all small and marginal farmers to ensure social security to them on reaching the age of 60, and ensuring a minimum of 50 per cent profits over the cost of production as promised in 2014. Taking a swipe at the BJP and PM Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sought a reply from the PM over the doubling of farmers’ income and providing the MSP above 50 per cent of the cost of production.

On the MSP, the BJP manifesto just mentions only one line, that “we have ensured unprecedented increase in the MSP for major crops, and we will continue to increase MSP from time to time”.