Parties in a race to woo farmers ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Chandigarh: As the parliamentary elections approach, farmers are once again in focus in agrarian Haryana with all political parties trying to win them over. While the Opposition Congress is talking about farm loan waivers, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is projecting itself as the only true representatives of farmers. The INLD has also announced farm loan waiver if it comes to the power in the state.

Not missing the chance to woo farmers in the election year, the ruling BJP is also trying to win over farmers, a very influential electoral force in the state, by planning to start a pension scheme for peasants.

The Khattar government’s pension proposal is being seen a considered an effort to get around anti-incumbency, and counter the opposition’s loan waiver promise ahead of the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.

A committee has been formed by the state government under BJP state chief Subhash Barala for the pension scheme. The panel discussed in its first meeting various modalities of the proposed scheme. The committee discussed plans along the lines of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) for unorganised sector workers. Under the APY, the Union government contributes Rs 1,000 for each beneficiary.

Currently the Haryana government pays Rs 2,000 as pension for senior citizens and is planning to merge this scheme with in the farmer pension proposal. The Haryana government had earlier announced farmer benefits like Rs 10 hike per unit in sugarcane prices and compensation in case of waterlogging in fields. However, it has reportedly faced criticism over not properly implementing the Swaminathan Commission report over minimum support price of agricultural produce.

With parliamentary election few months away and state Assembly elections also due this year, all parties in Haryana are competing with each other to woo farmers. However, many agricultural experts feel that for a lasting solution, an all-inclusive comprehensive scheme is most important. There is a perception that a 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.

Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, too, made a promise that farmers would be benefitted within hours of Congress coming to power in the state. The Congress leader upped the ante by saying, “The Congress would waive farm loans within six hours of forming government in Haryana.”

The old-age pension in Haryana will be increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 and the electricity bills will be reduced by 50 per cent within 12 hours, he added.

The Congress’ focus on farm loan waiver has inspired the ruling BJP to announce a reprieve for farmers within 24 hours of farm loan waivers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Not to be left behind, the INLD which had in the past  promised  a farm loan waiver if voted to power, walked out of the Assembly during the recently concluded session on the issue.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana unit president Gurnam Singh Chaduni said that he would like to wait for the final modalities of M.L. Khattar government’s pension scheme before commenting.

“If the government contributes considerable amount for pension scheme, then it would be a welcome step. We also suggest to give incentives to farmers in proportionate to their production,” said Mr Chaduni, adding that no party can win elections in Haryana by ignoring farmers.