Distressed Farmers: A Concern for the Nation, Says VP Dhankhar
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New Delhi, Dec 4 (NationPress) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stated on Tuesday that farmers engage in protests due to their distress, a situation that is detrimental to the nation.
“It is essential for us to reflect on this matter. Currently, farmers are facing challenges, experiencing hardship, and expressing their agitation. If our institutions had been proactive and effective, we would not be in this predicament. We must not limit our roles to mere ceremonial duties,” the Vice President remarked during his speech at the centenary foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT) in Mumbai.
During the event, which also saw the presence of Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Vice President noted: “I perceive a glimmer of hope. Today, we have an experienced individual as the Agriculture Minister of India. Shivraj ji, the responsibility before you encompasses both farmer welfare and rural development. When we envision a developed India, we must never forget that the journey toward a developed nation is deeply rooted in the well-being of our farmers.”
“I urge the Director-General and appeal to the esteemed Minister, the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, along with all its branches, educational institutions, and research facilities, to operate at full capacity to foster economic prosperity for our farmers,” he continued.
As a farmer's son himself, he expressed: “The sole responsibility assigned to farmers is to cultivate food and subsequently focus on securing a fair price for their produce. I fail to comprehend why we cannot devise a strategy in collaboration with economists and think tanks that truly compensates our farmers.”
“Instead of adequately rewarding them, we are often withholding what is deserved. Even the promised support is delivered grudgingly, and I am perplexed as to why there are no discussions taking place with the farmers?” he questioned.
He acknowledged that India stands as the world's fifth-largest economy. “We are on the path to becoming the third-largest globally, but it is crucial to understand that for India to attain developed nation status, individual incomes must increase eightfold. The rural economy and farmer welfare will play a pivotal role in achieving that increase,” the Vice President emphasized.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to the world that regardless of the magnitude of the issue or the intensity of the conflict, solutions can be reached through dialogue,” he concluded.
