Retrograde idea

With reference to ‘A four-point agenda for farm revival’ by Rakesh Bharti Mittal (October 3), the first suggestion is a retrograde step; it will alienate farmers from their livelihood even if it offers remunerative prices in the short term. The objective is to empower farmers with models that makes farming viable. Land aggregation can be by way of farmers’ produce companies.

Farming includes dairy, cattle rearing and fishing. The private sector can act as a catalyst to provide infrastructure and facilitate marketing. The Government can divert the labour force under MGNREGS. The present insurance cover has to be redefined to suit individual preferences and policies.

S Veeraraghavan

Madurai

Farmers’ interest in agriculture can be sustained only if they are guaranteed fair return on investment taking into consideration price risk and crop failure risk. Crop failure risk can be mitigated by making the insurance schemes more friendly and bringing more hazards under their purview. The fragmentation of land holdings continues with the rising population making small holdings unfit for hi-tech farming. The only way out is to promulgate long-term leasing of farmlands without alienating the ownership rights of the farmers.

The ‘price deficiency payment’ system will help cope with the price risk. Farmers must be entitled to sell commodities outside the APMC to organised retailers, food processors and aggregators. The Government must put in place a national cold chain stretching from farm gate to retail market. Establishing mega food parks will also enhance food processing capacity. Given the diverse agro-climatic conditions India can be the food bowl of the world.

Philip Sabu

Thrissur, Kerala

Study the impact

This refers to ‘Post-GST, the FMCG sector is on an even keel’ by Vinay Kamath (October 3). In certain cases the impact of the regime does appear to be disturbing. Take the cost of food in restaurants. Application of GST does seem to push up cost, though consumption once in a way might not hurt the pocket; it would only impact those who eat out regularly. We need a review of the impact of the GST on the cost of materials required in day-to-day life .

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

Protect Kancha Illaiah

It is sad that Kancha Illaiah Shepherd has been threatened with violence for coining the phrase “social smugglers to describe those who amass wealth by exploiting the lower castes. Illaiah’s works have stimulated discussion on the social and economic implications of caste. The categorisation of whole blocs of people as “us-and-them”, “superior and inferior” and “pure and polluted” on the basis of birth is racism, pure and simple. Truth is sometimes bitter and unpalatable. But it is not good enough reason to stop public intellectuals from critiquing on issues of social and sociological significance. The Government and civil society are obliged to protect Illaiah.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Good work, AIR!

All India Radio is launching services in Japan, Germany and Canada. It has been serving the nation’s masses in the fields of education, information and entertainment. Now it will reach millions more and live up to its motto of Bahujan hitaya, bahujan sukhaya ).

TS Karthik

Chennai

Tracking development

Indian Railways has come to represent the ethos of transport in India. The common man’s life is so entwined with it that he takes every mishap in his stride. The Government must reciprocate this. Set up during the British Raj essentially for goods transport, it is a leviathan of passenger movement in India. No wonder track mishaps are on the rise and upgrades do not happen regularly. The Government must rise to the occasion and animate both its attitude and operations. When the Government is the monopoly provider of rail services, the onus is on it to shed a bureaucratic approach

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

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