Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday 26 January 2018

HERE IS A BUDGETARY WAY TO SAVE FARMERS


Bhavantar = Bhav  Antar ( Price Difference )

-----------------------------------------------------


Hindustan Times ( 24 Jan ) carries following news :




 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Highlights :

·         Direct Cash Transfers to farmers for market losses

·         Could be replicated nationally to curb rural dissent

·         Govt fills gap between federally – fixed prices and market rates for select crops

·         MP govt paid Rs 140 Crore in 1st cycle ( Oct 16-31, 2017 )

·         In 2nd cycle ( Nov 1-30 ) , Rs 746 crore was paid

Scheme currently covers oilseeds and pulses



I am glad , MP government has started implementing my following suggestion ( although , with some variance ) . Let us hope this finds a place in Shri Jaitley’s Budget Speech :


A Different Kind of UFO ?  [  22  Sept  2017  ]




The UFO which all of us understand , stands for “ Unidentified  Flying  Object “



What I have in mind is “ Universal Farm  Output “



Something like currently talked about “ Universal Basic Income “ for the very poor



A great majority of our farmers , too , are very poor – and very indebted



Whenever the rains fail and their crops wither , they are forced to commit suicide ( - since for them , honour comes before life ) . Some 17,000 + every year



Other day , on TV , I heard a farm expert  wonder :


“ Even when the rains are reasonable , farm income of an ordinary farmer  barely comes to Rs 6,000 per acre ,


But ,


Our “ Farmer MPs “ ( who have declared their profession as “ Farming “ ) , show in their income tax return , “ agricultural income “ at Rs 6 lakh per acre , even when their land is located in a famine-stricken area  “



How come  ?  Using what “ technology “ do they pull off such a miracle ?



Of course , we will never know !



But that prompts following suggestion



Government has fixed MSP ( Minimum Support Price ) per quintal for most farm produce



It will buy , at this price , whatever quantity of grains , a farmer produces



But , during a famine , poor farmer cannot produce anything , not being in possession of that superior “ technology “ !



During such occasions , I suggest that the government pays him as follows :



·       *    MSP ( for the quantity of grains produced ) , or


·       *    Rs 6 lakhs per acre of land,


-      -  whichever is higher  



Of course , we will need to lay down very strict criteria for deciding which farmer will get this UFO , where and when and how often !

For our poor farmers , there cannot be a better “ Republic Day Gift “ than this !


26  Jan  2018
 



No comments:

Post a Comment