Framed Farmers

We look at grand buildings in cities and congratulate ourselves on the ‘development’ of the country, seldom seeing the exploitation and suffering of the poor and the marginalized. Since my childhood days I have been reading that India lives in villages. In fact some people call it Bharat – an undeveloped India. Nearly 70% of India is Bharat by this definition. We also know that most of this Bharat lives in darkness. Interestingly in Sanskrit, Bharat means "devoted to light as against darkness”.

All these people who live in villages are not farmers. According to 2011 census approximately 55% people of India are dependent on agriculture. There are nearly 10 crore farmers and 15 crore agricultural labourers. One interesting fact is that the number of farmers has been declining and in fact there are 90 lakh farmers less than 2001 census count. According to police records nearly 2,00,000 farmers have committed suicide since 2001. Remaining did not commit suicide but became landless labourers. This is also reflected in the census data. Total agricultural labourers have increased significantly. An effect of MNREGA cannot be denied.

Many of us would have seen the popular movie Peepli Live which employs a comic tone to tell a serious story. Subhash K. Jha, film critic and author of The Essential Guide to Bollywood, describes Peepli Live as "a work of damning ramifications." He further states that, "To most of us out here sitting in the auditorium, farmers' suicide is just a headline. Read, regretted and then put to bed. Peeply Live is that savagely raw and hurtful wake-up call for the conscience which does not mince words." Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama argues that "the concept (farmers' suicides) would instinctively translate into a serious, thought-provoking film. But Peepli Live takes a grim and solemn issue, turns it into a satire, garnishes it with populist sentiment and makes a far greater impact than a mere documentary, had it tackled the burning issue.”

An interesting fact is that the suicide rate for farmers throughout the world is higher than for the non-farming population. In the Midwest of the U.S. suicide rates among male farmers are twice that of the general population. In Britain farmers are taking their own lives at a rate of one a week. In India, one farmer committed suicide every 32 minutes between 1997 and 2005. All over the world the impact of an industrial approach to boosting crop yields has stripped many small farmers of their self-sufficiency and thrown them into despair. Nearly 90% of farmers in India who took their own lives were financially indebted. Their average debt was about Rs. 50000. . For the farmers, facing an agrarian crisis and complete government apathy, there are but two options – either to commit suicide or leave farming and sell their labour for cheap in the city.

Farmer’s suicide has been reported in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The cotton belt of Vidarbha in Maharshtra can be called the suicide belt of India.

What happens to the families after a farmer commits suicide? Off course they are ‘framed’ and homage is paid to them by media, politicians and friends. But their farms are confiscated due to inability to pay back high interest loans. There is harassment of the family by corrupt moneylenders. Widows are burdened with the new responsibility as the sole breadwinner. Children sometimes lose both parents to suicide. Forcing their education to a halt, especially if they have to work in order to provide for their needs

While the prices of crops have been pushed down - often even below the cost of production - the prices of inputs such as seed, fertilizers and pesticides have gone up. With limited resources, farmers depend on borrowed money to purchase seeds and other inputs and to farm their land. A drop in their farm income could quickly lead to farmers owing more than they own.

Most of the small and medium farmers live in financial stress. There is a constant financial pressure related to the ongoing drought and flood. Due to the financial stress there is loss of independence and control. There are other issues also which are not within the farmer’s control – disease, weather, government policy. Farmers also suffer from depression arising from exposure to agricultural chemicals and pesticides. The overuse of chemical fertilizers has also caused the soil to become infertile. Many farmers have committed suicide by drinking the very pesticides that no longer work on their crops.

In order to compete with global market many farmers turned to high-cost seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, believing in easier returns. Modified seeds cost nearly twice as much as ordinary ones, necessitating larger loans. There has been minimal financial support from the government for small farmers. Many small farmers don’t qualify for bank credit, forcing farmers to turn to moneylenders, who charge up to 20% interest on a four-month loan. As collateral, farmers often sign away the title to their land.

A crop failure, an unexpected health expense or the marriage of a daughter are perilous to the livelihood of these farmers. The only way to reduce farmers’ suicide is to provide social support at the time of stress. The greater the support from friends, family, local communities, national policies and society as a whole, the less impact stress will have on individuals and families. Many of the schemes launched by our current Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries to address these issues. Unless implemented with vigour and commitment, these schemes would not bring ‘achche din’ to these farmers and their families. It is crucial for state governments and NGOs to work together, on a local, national and global level, to address and solve this critical issue.

Removing poverty by slogans

When Indian Planning Commission declared that the number of poor in India has fallen to 22% of the population, all hell broke loose. Rather than celebrating the improved economic condition of the poor there was great mirth on the accuracy of this report. No one believed it! The figures were simply dismissed by one and all. Some people termed it as ‘the cruel joke on the country’.

The World Bank defines poverty as survival on less than 1.25 US$ a day (Approximately Rs 78 on current conversation rate of Rs. 63 to a US $). Based on this parameter India reduced poverty from 60% of the population to 42% during 1981 to 2005. In 2010 according to World bank parameter 33% of Indian population lives below the poverty line. There are 1.2 billion in the world who are living in extreme poverty conditions out of which 400 million live in India. Almost one third of world’s extreme poor people live in India.

The planning commission uses method different than the World Bank. Indian method is based on consumption of calories needed to sustain the human body. How much would it cost to buy these calories? Those who have income less than this cost are termed poor in India by the government. But what about the quality or nutritional value of food being consumed? Does it contain enough nutritional value? What about the cost of procuring shelter, healthcare, education etc.? When the documents of planning commission and recommendations of well-known economists are confronted with conditions of actual poor in India, these planners and economists have nowhere to hide.

When we see minors working in hotels, picking up rags on the road, assisting drivers in taxis and autos, working in factories in inhuman conditions we know that they are doing it supplement the income of the family to survive and contribute. They would also love to play and learn but are forced to work due to poverty.

When a person is forced to beg for survival it is the biggest indictment of the society.

We have been fed on dreams of ‘Vision 2020’ ‘2030’ and ‘2050’. We are told that India is on the verge of a breakthrough and will be on the road to prosperity soon. We are shown rising towers on the landscape of metro cities (Scam like Adarsh in Mumbai notwithstanding). What about the huts people in slums and villages. What about the plans of low cost housing for the poor? How are we going to provide affordable low cost housing to poor – by regularizing slums and hutments which would become graves if an earthquake strikes?

In last 65 years of independence we have used the slogans and legislation to remove the property. Most famous of the slogan is ‘Garibi Hatao’ of Indira Gandhi. The government announces many schemes to eradicate poverty but most of the money allocated finds place in the homes and bank accounts of those who are given the responsibility to implement them. Former prime minister was very generous when he said that out of one rupee given for poverty removal only 20 paise reaches the end user.

In last decade we have heard of many schemes and legislation to help poor. There is MNREGA and the Food Security Bill. But where is the honesty, commitment and mechanism to implement such schemes. No doubt the chief of Central Bureau of Investigation in India says that there workload will increase tremendously in chasing the corrupt. There are schemes to transfer money directly in the bank accounts of poor and needy. Dreams are being shown to poor in the name of various schemes by every government. Poor people will trust you easily but if the promises are not kept, they would not forgive easily.

When I was young someone told me a story. Rather than giving money to someone for help it is better to empower them so that they can earn money. To remove property we need to distribute land to the poor and create job opportunities for them. Poor people in the villages should be given long term land use leases. They should be given right to transfer, exchange, rent, and inherit agricultural land. The land will act as a productive asset for generating incomes for the poor.

We need to focus on unorganized sector to remove the poverty. This is the area where there is a huge potential for creating employment opportunities. Just look at the number of vegetable vendors in the city, people who supply milk and paper at your door step in the morning and people who clean your cars. In most of the small and big towns there is a large number of men and women helping you in your daily household works – from cleaning the house and used utensils to helping you in your kitchen. We need to provide dignified living conditions to all these people who help us in our everyday lives. We force them to live in slums and in unhygienic conditions without proper education and health facilities.

I find total lack of a coordinated effort at the national level to help these people. City mafias exploit their plight and local police receive their ‘hafta’ which forces them to live in fear – fear of mafia as well as law.

Poverty cannot be removed by mere sloganeering. It needs good governance. We need a caring health, education and a social service framework that reaches the poor. We need to build quality infrastructure and reliable public services in villages and cities.

Economic growth is the best method for removing poverty. It is definitely better than giving doles and subsidies where money is siphoned out of the system by corrupt elements. There should be good access to credit for the poor. A care has to be taken that micro-credit institutions do no exploit the poor and bring them into a debt trap.

To achieve poverty reduction we must develop sensitivity towards the poor. By indulging in photo-op events and doing lip service to their needs will not help. We can reduce poverty by showing our concern and empathetic action. We need to bring a care revolution – to remove the poverty. NOW!

Torture of Infrastructure

If you own a flat in the ground floor of Juhu scheme in Mumbai it is very unlikely to find a buyer. Memories of 26th July, 2005 flood in Mumbai comes to haunt every person who stays in Juhu. The whole of Juhu scheme had become a water bowl – a very dirty water bowl. It took nearly a week to see the ground. If available residents could have used boat services to commute to dry land in Mumbai. Many of the residents saw their cars being submerged in water. Every ground floor flat was more than knee deep in water for quite some time.

Was it a natural calamity or the problem created by city planners?

We will be surprised to know that there was no water drainage system in the whole of Juhu. Water once accumulated remained there. It was only after this flooding that the municipal corporation thought of building this basic infrastructure.

I think this sounds familiar to most of the Indian citizens. People in Delhi suffer flooding of water on roads every year. The capital of India has hardly any infrastructure to take care of water logging problems. Municipal corporations have a large number of clearances before they give permission to construct a building.  I am told there are nearly 63 clearances required before one start construction.

What about providing basic amenities to the residents of the cities?

Builders buy plots and get permissions to build by any means available. Sometimes they build even without permissions. Just look at what is happening to Campacola residents in Mumbai. There are hundreds and thousands of such projects standing in the country – which have been cleverly managed by people concerned. It was purely the failure of Campacola residents to manage the system – and they suffer. Employees of municipal corporations just love such people. They become the lifelong source for their additional incomes!

For every infrastructure project whether residential or industrial, you can hear one question from government officers and politicians – ‘Mujhe kya milega’? (What do I get?)

They are very right. After building is constructed residents will get their dream house, builders will get their profit. Why should they sign the papers? Forgetting that they and their family’s survival depends on the taxes paid by the citizens. Instead of being public servants they become masters of public – because they have got the power to sign and give approvals.

Most of the infrastructure projects in the country suffer from these three words ‘Mujhe kya milega’?.

Because of the nexus between corrupt businessmen and government agencies we have created a torture of infrastructure in all walks of our life. Resources allocated for these projects are always insufficient. One needs to do a research study to find a project which was completed in time and with planned funding.

We build roads which develop potholes in the first monsoon. We are all one as far as quality of work is concerned. Whether north or south, east or west, we have equal competency in building bad roads. Road contractors across the country have developed the same formula. They deserve noble prize for their consistency. The joint winners should be civil engineers who monitor their work.

Most interesting aspect of work on infrastructure is the total lack of concern for public safety. Anywhere you go you will find some repair or construction work is going on and the work site is hardly barricaded. If someone falls in the ditch it is his or her bad luck.

During monsoon one of my friends had a very scary experience. He was coming back with his wife after dropping children to the school bus. There was some water on the road here and there. Suddenly he found his wife disappearing on the road. Luckily he got hold of her hand and pulled her out. She was completely drenched in sewage water. She bathed for almost two weeks in perfumed water to remove the smell. All the time she felt she was smelling of sewage water.

They were really lucky. We have seen horror stories of little children fallen into deep trenches in villages. It becomes national passion to save these lives. What about the responsibility of people who were involved in creating such disasters? Is this the way to create and build infrastructure? As a nation we just do not care about these incidents. We have accepted that this is the way we are. Media gets some TRPs and there is no follow up action anywhere.

I have heard the parable of the fisherman, which says, ""If you give a person a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach them how to fish, you feed them for a lifetime."  But to catch a fish you need a boat to go in the ocean. You need an infrastructure for weather forecasting so that the fisherman knows when it is safe to go for fishing. You need a whole lot of infrastructure facilities and services to make fishing safe and economical.

The power infrastructure of the country is in real poor shape. There are power plants but no coal. While dozens of power projects were approved, most of the mega projects have been either stalled by delays in regulatory approvals or lying incomplete or idle due to paucity of funds or coal. Then there is politics of supplying power at subsidized costs or power theft by industries with the collusion of greedy officers. The new minister has promised ‘Achche Din’ as far as power situation is concerned. We must pray for his success.

In the last decade public awareness in environmental issues has been on the rise and is leading to stringent enforcement of environmental regulations. These issues are deforestation, soil erosion, overgrazing, desertification, air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides. Due to total indifference we have created an aversion for developmental projects in the minds of social activists. They would rather see us Indians in Stone Age than allow development of the country.

India is a land of rivers. We should have cared for our rivers as they are our life line. Rather than developing a river based economy we have polluted these rivers and converted them into nallahs. There is a great scope for developing hydraulic power projects, river transport systems and tourism. Most of our great old cities are situated on the banks of these rivers. We have simply failed to use these rivers to our advantage.

There is a need to invest in water based projects. We must make optimal use of the existing river projects, encourage traditional water harvesting projects, recharge ground water and involve the people at every stage. Water is already one of the largest traded commodity in developed countries. It is time we start treating water as a valuable resource. 

One of the biggest problem of infrastructure in the country is towards maintenance and safety issues. It has been a major problem in our country. When we talk about sustained growth in infrastructure we must keep maintenance aspect in mind. The country has become a museum of ill maintained infrastructure, buildings and roads. This has caused a series of tragic disasters in India. Many disaster in the country have been a product of bad infrastructure and indifference.

The country is paying a huge cost due to this indifference. We need good infrastructure and a well maintained infrastructure for the continued growth of the economy in India. Indifference, inefficiencies and shortfalls is reflected in congested roads, frequent power failures, and drinking water shortages. 

We need good airports, ports, roads and railways. We need to develop good infrastructure in oil and gas, power, and telecommunications. These are the drivers of economy to remove poverty and provide acceleration to economic growth. We need low cost housing, drinking water and a good sewage system so that the people of the country can live in dignity.

These are huge problems. We can still dream of ‘Achche Din’ provided we care.