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BHARTIYA KISAN SANGH
207/ B, BHARAT BHAVAN , 1360
SHUKRAWAR PETH, PUNE - 411002
Tel. (020) 24478801
Date :- 02/10/2006
To,
Dr. R.B.Singh
Member,
National Commission on Farmers
To,
The Chairman,
National Commission on Farmers
Ministry of Agriculture
Office Block, 2nd floor, NASC Complex,,
Opp. Todapur Village, PUSA
New Delhi - 11 0012
Sub.: NCF final report - Draft Comments & Suggestions.
Ref.- NCF's letter dt.13/04/2006
Sir,
Bhartiya Kisan Sangh giving congratulations to NCF for the farmer's policy. We are giving our comment on the draft. We are also interested to discuss
the issue with you if you give the chance. Please consider the suggestions given by us.
We are waiting for your reply.
Thanking you,
Dinesh D. Kulkarni
(All India Organising Secreatary )
BKS Office,B/ 207 ,
Bharat Bhavan ,1360,
Shukrawar Peth,
Pune - 411 002
Encl.:- Comments and suggestions .
Draft of the
Fourth Report
National Commission on Farmers 2004
Bhartiya Kisan Sangh
Comments and Suggestions
Immediately after the appointment of the National Commission on Farmers 2004, in
November 2004, the terms of reference as well as aims and objects of the
Commission should have been published for general public so that sufficient time
would have been available for having purposeful debate , necessary consultations
and carrying on think process. This draft however is available for discussion in
the month of August 2006 leaving barely two months for discussion as the final
report is to be submitted on 13/10/2006.
Setting of the NCF in November
2004 should have been a great event in the life of the nation as on the basis of
the suggestions made by the Commission, National Policy on Farmers is going to
launched on 15th August 2007, for the first time in 10,000 years of India's
agricultural history !
Bhartiya Kisan Sangh has noted
with heavy heart the large number of farmers suicides ONLY prompted Government
of India to appoint NCF.
The draft does not contain any
new or novel idea or suggestion but left out number of aspects of agricultural
business.
There are some welcome suggestions in the draft on the following topics.
Bhartiya Kisan Sangh support them gladly and with emphsis. The topics are as
follows.
1. Methods of farming.
2. Dairy
3. Poultry
4. Fisheries
5. Water Harvesting
6. Plant and Animal Biodiversity
7. Inputs - Seeds fertilizer etc.
8. Types of farmers
Even the Prime Minister has acknowledged that the Industries, Irrigation,
Electricity and even the democracy have benefited 25 to 30 percent of the
population. The improved their lot financially , socially and also politically
leaving the remaining 70 to 80 percent to the vagaries of different types. We
must strive hard to improve the conditions of these unfortunate individuals.
There are however some suggestions made in draft. They may prove to be
controversial. They therefore, demands serious consideration before any concrete
action is taken in this respect.
para 4.3.5.5 - Cashewnut along sea coast with sea water -
Inclusion of cashenut in sea water farming in coastal area along with prown
culture can not be accepted as a general recommendation as in Maharashtra it is
rain fed crop one its established in the first two years with irrigation during
summer dry season.
para 4.4 - Science and Technology
It would be unrealistic to accept the poor hard working farmers to take
advantage of different types of technologies listed. Government agricultural
extension agency has to come to aid of the small or marginal or dry line farmer
and supply the information obtained from the various information channels. He
will have to be educated and train slowly to make use of these facilities.
para 4.11 - Minimum support price -
Farmers does not get the remunerative price for their produce and that is
main and primary reason for the indentness and suicide of farmers. Minimum
support price policy is totally wrong and due to that policy the condition of
farmer as well as rural Bharat is deteriorating day by day.
So Bhartiya Kisan Sangh strongly suggests that the Government should fix by
calculating the cost of production plus 15 percent profit over the cost. and
develop the system to implement this by giving three tier system as follows.
1. Purchasing by Government agency
2. Purchasing by Cooperative agency
3. Purchasing by Private agency
(The provision of rural godowans and making the advance available on the basis
of farm produce stored will also help in solving the problem. )
Farmers can sell their produce any where in Country this type of provision or
amendment should be done in market committee act.
para 4.8.8.1 - Organic farming
Asking farmers to achieve 10 percent level of organic matter in soils to
satisfy the International demand, will be unrealistic as to reach that level of
in the soil is scientifically and practically impossible under Indian condition
of temperature and humidity. If the International standards are organic farming
has been fixed at this level, the standard will have to be modified. It is going
to be difficult problem but has to be faced.
Following topics do not find a place in the draft :-
1. Soil testing: Even after 45 years a soil testing has not reached to the
small and marginal farmers as well as dry land cultivator. There total area
about 70 percent of the cultivated area this is the area, which has to be
targeted for the increasing the fertility and help second green revolution.
Government therefore has to make concrete efforts to prepare fertility or soil
health maps of this area by following grid method for soil sample collection,
getting them analyzing in the soil testing laboratories and plotting the
fertility levels on the village maps. These village fertility maps serve the
basis for planning sustainable agriculture in future.
2. Agricultural Universities:- Considering the soil, climate and crops India
has been divided into different zone. The agricultural universities also
position according to these zones. These agricultural universities have to play
a vary important role in structuring the national agricultural policy to future.
They are fully equipped to carry out research covering various agricultural
aspects of the problems faced by the cultivators.
3. Agricultural Educations:- primary education of agriculture should be
compulsory from 8th standards.
4. Agricultural Courts:- To solve the problems related with agricultural and
revenue rapidly, the agricultural courts should be established.
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