Farming community- a vote spinner or economy's drag

Fine what does a humble farmer come to represent in today's scheme of things? what are these things- Economy Growth, GDP, FDI, Productivity, HDI, and many more.................one thing is clear This Shining India does not want a half naked fakir toiling in sun but large sized farm holdings serving a large industrial scale farming plot, RIGHT?

Why are you in such a hurry, MAN cannot eat MONEY, and MONEY cannot buy everything. I am aghast at the tone of leading newsprint taking upon themselves to tell common man that this Government of the day must usher in the type of Investments or policy decisions seen in late 90's and early 2000's, above all these high pedestal economic buffoons continue to draw lines on the scale of industrialization  not seen in any agrarian community like India.

Whatz bothering these economic buffoons, they say a sector contributing 15% to country's GDP employs a skewed 60% of the population? or even more. So what they really want? They call these unproductive farms a drag in a traditional sense and are the apostles of modern day unknown devil GMO.

Now they feel that the green revolution which put India on the map of self sustenance is now in for Modern revolution more productivity out of ounce of soil. Mutti bar mein Gehu........you fool. this suits a country like Europe were average land holding is nothing short of 10's of hectares. So given this scenario what would the plough shouldering farmer do?

They want every unlettered sickle slogging Vivasayi to enter the hallowed portals of civilized world. Put on a apron stand in the assembly line taking the role of modern day coolie or even a IT coolie- difficult for a 40 year old poor farmer to qualify if only to take calls.

What has come to this government and its coterie of economists drawing figures unimaginable to a layman in their centralized air conditioned rooms jotting down numbers and airing their views on prominent columns.

One does not even show a cursory thought to the rice they consume everyday or the Dhal which they slurp onto their palms.

No one is against technology aiding a farmers toil, BUT I am against the so called industrialization at cost of one's livelihood.

India's lands must be categorized as those rich in natural resources, barren land, land which is best left to nature and land habitable for humanity and many more classification which makes easier for the government to acquire or even plan to make it productive.

But that has been left to classroom and college textbooks and thesis papers and NGO's primary focus area for study and analysis, what makes this present day dispensation a dangerous player in this game of unsurpassed economic growth is unbridled power to explore, exploit and exhaust our resources. The science of economy means to maximise profits and what else it carries with it is in detail. So as to say Devil's in the detail.

Considering Tamilnadu for the case in hand, a remaining state with large natural resource( smaller states like Orissa, Jharkahand, Uttarakhand, Chhatisgarh, Himachal, Kerala, Pockets of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Interior Telangana, North Eastern states) and a huge farmhands at work cannot be moved to a industrial zones overnight, why waste a precious resource on a unknown energy intensive field when these trained farm hands require a little support and more coordinated policy decisions to improve on the efficiency of the farm work.

Pasumai Vikatan had carried a series of articles on the continuing displacement of farmers due to lop sided industrial policy in Tamilnadu. Successive governments of Tamilnadu have turned a blind eye to fertile lands being usurped to facilitate big corporates that too for purposes which are classified as hazard to environment. Why this callousness? these industries pollute land, air and water and why give a red carpet reception to such companies when in reality the farmlands were fit for cultivation and harvest for foreseeable future, we hear stories of displaced farmers working as coolies, cattle grazers and watchmen in these SIPCOT's. Why?

 OK considering that State of Tamilnadu is embarking on so called industrialization drive, but at WHAT COST?

Tamilnadu has been a traditional rice bowl of South India, Tamilnadu has been known for its rich craftsmanship in weaving, handlooms, pottery, forest produces, Coimbatore for its engineering machinery, and much more.....................why have we digressed from a history which we were so proud of...........................Tamilnadu as an agrarian economy has prospered than as a Industrial state NOW? can someone counter this view satisfactorily so that we can move forward...............


We have depleted our natural resource hence this state of affair. water intensive crops or cultivation can be shifted to more nature supplicant crops. I find empowerment of farmers and poor people through agriculture based trade be it extracting cooking oils, processing traditional rice, value adds through millets and grains and much more........................Man is in NO Mood to quit eating and hence no dearth for farm related economy.

This and previous governments have systematically destroyed natural wealth in form of river sand mining, natural resources mining, Polluting industries and blank cheque industrial policy................

Now we take away the livelihood of a farmer, a herder, a iron-smith, a wood implement maker, cattle plough man, an entire generation of village knowledge is being buried alive. Given this scenario how would science and technology survive.

You do not have villages to sell tractors, vehicles, TV's, electrical tools and implements- a wealthy and prosperous farmer had money from his produce to buy above things, so when land is not available to farm what will happen to this economy of booming rural commerce?

Given such a case where a huge 1000 Crores of investment in a high technology business generation is all set to employ just 1000 employees, a great waste of resource while 1000 crores of money can do wonders in many villages which can simply set right few basic infrastructure issues like canal improvement, water harvesting schemes, livestock sustenance with dedicated grazing plains and much more.

Agreed this technology has begun to filter down to lower levels like weather forecast, guidance on pest control, market prices for the produce, mapping the harvest of the crop to mandi, and crop insurance but beyond which who would take the onus of streamlining this to next level of procurement, storage and to market.

Today's Urad dhal at  a kg is Rs. 250/kg. comparatively costlier than Petrol of similar value with which you can travel more than 300 kms.

People investing in cultivating Urad dhal can make a better profit than those selling car with kind of investing and waste of resources behind a car.

Politicians snap out of your dream of making each and every Goan an IT city with unparalleled infrastructure and facilities. What will you do after you have made every goan a modern city; import grains from Canada and USA?

As of now villages are still a precious VOTE BANK and nothing more.