Farmers’ relief: Act quickly

Tamil Nadu’s farmers have suspended their month-long protest in New Delhi, but their agitation is a ticking time bomb if the Tamil Nadu and Central governments can’t offer something substantial so that they can overcome the worst drought in 140 years. The farmers have been pushed to utter despair, that is quite evident in the record number of farmer suicides this harvest season. New Delhi seemed hardly aware of their plight till the farmers took their protest to New Delhi and to the doorstep of the Prime Minister’s Office, using bizarre tactics with live snakes and rats to make their point and capture attention.

The Centre may regard issues like loan waivers as a state subject, but in Tamil Nadu’s case it’s a lot bigger, and to do with the sharing of Cauvery waters. By deferring implementation of a Supreme Court decision to form the Cauvery Management Board, successive governments have shown where their southern priorities lie. The alacrity with which the BJP acted on loan waivers for Uttar Pradesh farmers has also opened a Pandora’s box. All agricultural states are now clamouring for not only the waiving of crop loans but also those of nationalised banks. While the risk to the banking system in waiving loans is clear, despite clever strategies like raising bonds, it’s clear much more must be done for farmers, specially those of the Cauvery delta who produce a fair proportion of rice for the nation. By meeting the farmers, Tamil Nadu’s chief minister has bought time. The question is where real relief lies — as any solutions need
political will.