Budget 2019: Tenant farmers shortchanged
The PM's Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme only benefits those who have farm land.
Hyderabad: Tenant farmers and agricultural labourers who are also deeply affected by the agrarian crisis have found themselves left out in the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme announced by the NDA government.
The relief announced by the interim finance minister Piyush Goyal categorically stated that the scheme is applicable to farmers having land holding of less than five acres
However, agricultural labourers outnumber other farmers across the country. As per the 2011 Census, 263 million people are engaged in farming and over half of them are agricultural labourers due to falling size of landholdings.
Various studies and enquiry committees constituted by the Centre from time to time have revealed that agricultural labourers are the most neglected section in rural India. They are highly unorganised and with low income and irregular employment.
T. Sagar, secretary of the All India Kisan Sangh said that these labourers find it difficult to take up other jobs due to lack of skills and training.
Pointing to the 80 lakh agricultural workers and 14 lakh tenant farmers in Telangana alone, he said neither the TS government nor the Centre support them with Rythu Bandhu or Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi schemes.
It is worth mentioning here that the financial assistance Kalia (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme announced of the Odisha government benefits land owning farmers (up to 5 acres) and tenant farmers including agricultural labourers.
Telugu Desam politburo member and AP finance minister Y. Ramakrishnudu said tenant farmers should not be deprived while giving investment support to farmers.
AICC Kisan Cell vice chairman M. Kodanda Reddy said the NDA government announced an eye wash scheme for small farmers while depriving the agricultural labourers who are the back bone of the sector. “It is the responsibility of the government to provide social security to them and tenant farmers,” he said.
“The Centre’s way of helping farmers shows they have not understood the big mess in which the community is in,” said Pakala Sri Hari Rao, president, Telangana Rythu Rakshana Samiti.