Skip to main content

Budget provision: Pressing need for helping farmers facing extreme distress situations

By Bharat Dogra 
At a time when the union government is in the process of finalizing its allocations for various schemes and programs, it is important to re-emphasize the need for increasing the allocations for some high priority schemes and programs.
The union government has a provision for pensions for elderly persons, widows and disability affected persons under the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP) but the allocations for this program has been stagnating at very low levels. In fact the union government offers just INR 200 per month for elderly persons and INR 300 per month for widows. In most states these amounts increase because of the higher contributions of the state governments, but the contribution of the union government is also overdue for a significant increase. In fact the government must go beyond incremental increase and announce a significant new initiative for pensions that assures much higher pensions to all elderly persons who are currently either denied any pensions or receive very low amounts, as well as to other vulnerable sections of the population ( such as widows and disability affected persons) regardless of their age.
Mid-day meals served at schools have become an increasingly accepted means of improving child nutrition in India, and often important claims are made regarding the improved quality of food served that is served on various week days. However visits to schools often reveal that the quality of food is below the expected norm and the cooking conditions are also not satisfactory. The village women who are employed to cook these meals, who are generally from very poor background, generally get very low wages and these too are often delayed for a very long time. Prof. Jean Dreze has estimated, comparing the latest allocation for mid-day meals with the allocation made in 2014-15, that after adjusting for inflation, the most recent allocation of INR 12,467 crore was less than 40% compared to the 2014-15 allocation of INR 13,215 (adding up the nominal reduction as well as that caused by price-rise). This is a very disturbing state of affairs. As a school headmaster in a remote village of Jharkhand asked me in some desperation recently—How can we be expected to serve high nutrition, good quality food on such a low budget? Hence a significant increase in the budget for mid-day meals is also overdue.
The scheme for helping pregnant women can be of great importance for protecting their health and well-being at an important stage in their life. This also has a positive impact on the health of the child and increases the chances of the child getting breast feeding for adequate duration. This should be extended to three children and in addition the amount per birth should be doubled to make it INR 10,000. The benefits in terms of health and welfare will be much higher compared to the money involved. In addition the anganwadi scheme should also get a significant raise.
The demand for a significant increase in the allocation for rural employment guarantee scheme or NREGA has been frequently voiced in recent times and this is certainly needed. However in this context several other implementation reforms are also needed for this important scheme to realize the high hopes that it had initially aroused among the weakest sections in rural areas.
While the government has often emphasized the need for promoting natural farming, the resource allocations have been generally very inadequate. Most of the agricultural subsidies are still going to chemical fertilizers. If the government agrees to give much more to those adopting natural farming, this will be helpful particularly for those farmers who face difficulties in the initial phase.
There is clearly a pressing need for helping farmers facing extreme distress situations, and if a significant fund (in addition to disaster relief already available) to meet their special needs is available, then this can help to not only provide relief but also to save several lives.    
Visits to several government schools in remote villages revealed the extent to which education here is adversely affected by lack of adequate number of teachers. The frequent absence of adequate number of doctors and other important health personnel in government hospitals and health centers serving rural patients proves even more costly. There have been several pleas for very significant rise in budgets for health and education which should not be ignored any further.
The allocations for the labor ministry, and for the ministries for scheduled castes and tribes and other weaker sections should increase significantly. In the context of labor ministry there is need or special initiatives to help migrant workers and to improve protection of workers from occupational diseases and accidents. 
---
The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include "When the Two Streams Met", "A Day in 2071" and "Man over Machine"

Comments

TRENDING

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy  Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor*  Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative   The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das*  India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor*  A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative  The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment.  The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents.   The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

How polarization between different ideological trends within the communist movement sharpened in India

By Harsh Thakor*  This article is a rejoinder to A Note on Slogans of “Left Unity,” “Unity of the Communist Revolutionaries” and “Mass Line” by Umair Ahmed, published on the Nazariya blog .

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor*  In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा*  जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए।