Farmer’s movement 2020-2021: Why there is a Need for Agricultural Laws

Agriculture is a major pillar of our economy. The food and nutritional security of the country is directly linked to the empowerment of this region.  

According to the "Economic Survey 2019-20", more than 50 per cent of the country's population is still dependent on farm sector for employment. In addition, agriculture accounts for more than 18 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). That is why it is said that economic development in India is not possible without agricultural development. 

In view of this, efforts have been made from time to time to give a scientific approach, incorporate advanced techniques and make them market-oriented. The basic objective of these efforts is to strengthen the rural economy by continuously increasing the income of farmers.  

With the strengthening of the rural economy, the purchasing capacity of 70 per cent of the population of the country will increase which will give a boost to other pillars of our economy especially manufacturing, export and service sectors. 

As the various pillars of the economy strengthen, India will reach its stated goal of "becoming a five trillion-dollar economy by 2025" and another goal "to become the world's third-largest economy by 2050".  

To play this important role in the agriculture sector, the adoption of modern technologies by the farmers and policy decisions of the government will play a major role. 

Continuous efforts are being made to shift farmers from traditional farming to modern farming and to focus on making agriculture market-oriented. In this sequence, the government has tried to speed up efforts to double the income of farmers by 2022. 

Providing Rs 6000 per year as "Kisan Samman Nidhi", raising the minimum support price, crop insurance at low premiums, arranging for Kisan Credit Cards, providing cheap loans, arranging for promotion of solar energy in agriculture, preventing black marketing of fertilizers, Formation of Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), emphasis on skill development, etc. are steps taken in this direction to facilitate the way to achieve the target set for 2025 and 2050. 

In order to achieve the above goals, there are many problems at the root of agitation by the government to bring three laws for agrarian reform in 2020 and farmers disagreeing with those laws. It is necessary to understand and solve the complexities of those problems. It is necessary to mention here some of the basic complications.