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Lok Sabha Debates

Discussion On The Resolution Regarding Relief Measures For Workers In Agrarian ... on 10 December, 2004

nt> 15.40 hrs. RESOLUTION RE : RELIEF MEASURES FOR WORKERS IN AGRARIAN SECTOR – contd.

Title: Discussion on the resolution regarding relief measures for workers in Agrarian Sector. (Discussion not concluded) MR. CHAIRMAN : We will now take up item no. 20. Shri P.K. Vasudevan Nair to speak.

SHRI P.K. VASUDEVAN NAIR (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM): Mr. Chairman, Sir, my Resolution had a very strange fate because I moved the Resolution on the 16th of July and because of the various turbulent situations that developed in the House – adjournments and all that – this Resolution gets life only now. Why I say this is because in the Resolution, as you will see, the main issue that is projected is that of suicides of thousands of farmers that took place in our country during that period. In July and August and all that, when I moved that Resolution, it was a very very live issue; not that it is not live now, not that suicides have stopped. They are still continuing. But, unfortunately, the issue is not being seriously discussed and tackled.

But I want to focus on the very serious situation in agriculture and our rural economy resulting in pauperziation of millions of peasants. As far as the fate of the agricultural workers is concerned, agriculture is in crisis and when even the poor and marginal peasants are forced to commit suicide, one can imagine what will be the fate of the farm labour. They are in millions in our country. So, the issue of the farmers and the issue of the agricultural workers are put together in this Resolution.

At the very outset, I shall try to impress upon the Treasury benches about the promises made in the Common Minimum Programme on agriculture, investment in agriculture and so many other things and also the solemn promise that there will be a national legislation on the agricultural workers which will be seriously pursued and a Bill would be brought before the House without delay. Maybe, it may not come in this Session, though we expected at that time that it would come. But I urge upon the Government to see to it that that legislation is brought in the Budget session itself.

This is a very wide subject on the question of agrarian economy. I do not want to go into the very serious problems afflicting the agrarian economy. But suffice to say that right from the days after freedom, our idea of agrarian reforms was basic, radical agrarian reforms. The agrarian reforms could be of any kind. Some reforms were implemented; some laws were passed and many laws which were passed are kept in the cold storage without implementing. Of course, there the Central Government can say : ‘What can we do? It is a State subject, the State Governments have to make laws, they have to implement them.’ But let us not throw the blame from the Centre to the States and States to Centre. The fact remains that the basic, fundamental reason for the agrarian crisis is our inability to implement radical agrarian reforms.

Even after so many years, even today, land is a monopoly of certain big land-owners. You have the tenancy laws. Of course, in many States, tenancy laws were implemented, but land ownership even now is not transferred to the actual tenant. In the case of Andhra Pradesh, where perhaps the largest number of suicides has taken place, I understand that there are many tenants. Of course, they got the land due to their own struggle and agitation. They possess the land, but they do not have pattas, they do not have ownership rights. That is the case with regard to many tenants where tenancy laws were implemented. So, unless you make the tiller of the soil the real owner, agrarian economy will not improve. That is the cornerstone not only of agrarian economy but even industrial development, industrialisation.

Of course, as we all know, we on this side - the Left Parties, the Communists - were for land reforms. We thought that land reform is a question of social justice and of social equity, but at the same time, it is an issue which opens up the road to industrialisation, to overall development. But in our country, which is an agrarian country even today, although lot of developments have taken place in the industrial field, the tiller of the soil is yet to become the real owner of the land. If you make the tiller of the soil the real owner of the land and the beneficiary - what he produces he gets for himself and his purchasing power goes up - that will open up the door for the integrated development of the economy.

Unfortunately, in our country, in spite of the fact that Father of the Nation wanted land reforms very much, in spite of the fact that the Prime Minister of the country who took over the Government immediately after Independence also very much wanted land reforms, but unfortunately, for whatever reasons, it was implemented in a very halting manner. So, in the CMP, after so many years, we have gone back to that question. There is a promise that that old idea of land reforms will be taken up again. I think, that should be given very serious attention. So, together with that, the farm labour, the worker, the real tiller of the soil should be empowered. By way of legislation, he should be assured of social justice. Social justice and empowerment go together. All this is the basic reason for crises in agrarian sector.

Then, I come to the recent days. I think 1991 is a watershed when this avtar of LPG - liberlisation, privatisation and globalisation - dawned. We call it LPG. There were some people who got so much worked up that they said that this is the real road to prosperity, this is the real road to development. Even today, we are amused when we see even some of the Ministers in the Treasury Benches feel a kind of special enthusiasm when they go on saying reforms, reforms and reforms.

Only six months back, the people of this country gave a verdict. The Narasimha Rao Government and the Congress Government implemented reforms for five years, and then the BJP Government came to power. They have a special capacity to adapt themselves. They were criticising the Narasimha Rao Government when they were in the Opposition, but when they took over, then they became the real protagonists of LPG. They said a lot about it, but please remember that the peasants and the rural population rejected them. It is because in their great enthusiasm to have globalistion, liberalisation, etc. they forgot the agrarian sector, forgot the poor peasants and forgot the agricultural workers, and when they got an opportunity, they gave a very clear verdict.

I think that it should be a lesson for the Treasury Benches, who are sitting here. Let us learn that lesson. A lot of promises were made in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). I have got it with me here, but I do not want to take the time of the House by reading it out. I would say that it is very good to read, and I would make a humble claim that we, from the Left, have made some contributions to it. Many things were mentioned about agriculture, when the CMP was prepared, and we have some contribution of ours also in it. We do not say it is solely our programme, but it is not their programme also. This is the reason for it being known as the common programme. Of course, their Party is the main Party in it. All the things said about agriculture, agrarian reforms, investment in agriculture, its implementation, etc. should get priority.

During the period when a lot of suicides were being committed, one Chief Minister in our country said that suicides were always taking place in the country. When people demanded some relief, and rehabilitation for the families, who have committed suicide, he went to the extent of saying that : "If you give them some rehabilitation aid, then it will be an incentive for suicide." This is what he said on this issue, and he stopped all help and assistance to the families of those who committed suicide. Even such strange interpretations were given on this issue.

Of course suicides will always be there, and even in the future there will be suicides. There are many reasons for committing suicide. It is not only the farmers, but others also committing suicide. But in the last five years it has continued on a big scale. It is a special characteristic, which should be understood. It is directly related to the crash of the agrarian economy; it is directly related to the perverted policy of liberalisation; and it is also directly related to the conditionalities of the WTO. Import was a weapon, and it was a lever in the hands of the Government not only in our country, but in all other countries to protect the unorganised peasants.

Unless you assure remunerative prices to the producers, there is no meaning in having an agrarian policy. I do not have time to go into my experiences in my State. However, I want to say one thing.

In Kerala, the agrarian economy is based mainly on cash crops; we produce some food crops also. We are the biggest producers of natural rubber, as you all know. At one time, I remember, when I was in Parliament in the 1960s, we had this headache. At that time, there was no liberalisation, but there was a different import policy. Even then, rubber used to be imported, in spite of the fact that we produced more than what was required in the country. I was a member of the Rubber Board, at that time. That Board did good work. Perhaps, rubber is one commodity where productivity has gone up after Independence. There are not many other commodities like that. Rubber is now produced by the poor marginal peasants and not in the Estates, as in the past. It is now mainly produced by the small farmers. What happened at that time? We, in the Rubber Board, every year, used to make a recommendation to the Central Government that we had sufficient rubber and that no import was necessary. However, when the final decision came, they said, "We do not have sufficient Rubber. Import is necessary and, therefore, we are importing." Due to this, the prices of rubber came down. Who used to manage that? There was a very powerful tyre lobby. There were only ten or fifteen companies, but they were much more powerful than five or ten lakh rubber producers. They used to manipulate, they used to bribe -- there was a lot of corruption -- and they used to manage to import rubber, which was not necessary. Rubber, of course, is the main raw-material for the tyre industry. So, this conflict between the primary producer and the industrial monopolists was there even before the period of liberalisation. Now, both are there. The tyre lobby is much more powerful than in the past.

I would like to ask the hon. Minister as to why the Government is allowing the import of natural rubber and what is the logic or reason behind it. Kindly convince us on this. As you know, at that time, after a lot of agitation, both within and outside the House, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi assured the Kerala Government that they would take a decision on the import of natural rubber only after a discussion with the Kerala Government. Kerala is the main producer of natural rubber. That assurance was kept for some time and that assurance helped us in the days of import of agrarian commodities.

I do not know why the Commerce Ministry is looking after so many agrarian commodities. The Agriculture Ministry has nothing to do with that, and that is another anomaly. I will request the Commerce Ministry that when you decide on the fate of agricultural commodities, which are cash crops, kindly take the State Government concerned into confidence. At least, please listen to them, ask them as to what their opinion is, and then only take a decision on that.

16.00 hrs. I am referring to rubber as one case. We all know the contribution that our peasants who produce cash crops make to the country. They help the country in saving millions and millions of dollars of foreign exchange. They export many commodities and get foreign exchange directly. Indirectly they help the country in saving valuable foreign exchange. But for them, we would have had to import all those commodities.

So, peasants should be given more consideration which is not presently being done. Only lip service is being paid to them even today, even in your CMP. Until we show firm political will in implementing it, I will say that lip service is going on where nothing actually is being done.

I now come to my last point and that is the issue of farmers committing suicides. Of course, I do not ask you to forget those who commit suicides. How can any body say that? But, have we ever thought as to what their families go through? If you take the statistics, I understand that more than 20,000 suicides have taken place in this country. I do not know whether there is any State where such unfortunate things have not happened. The tendency of the State Governments is to say, ‘No, no, no, in our State there is no suicide’.

My Agriculture Minister in Kerala protested when people said that suicides did take place in Wynad District and in many other places. But, the Chief Minister called a conference of Members of Parliament wherein a note was circulated stating that some 300 or so persons had committed suicides in Kerala also.

However, thousands and thousands of people have committed suicides in Andhra Pradesh. Even in a State like Punjab, suicides took place. I was surprised to know that. In Orissa also we hear stories like that.

The Central Government does not directly deal with agriculture because it is a State Subject. Even then, I would request that Government of India should collect information on what has happened. Even if it is not 20,000, even if it is 15,000 or 12,000 or 10,000 only, it is the responsibility of not only the States concerned but also of the Central Government to take care of this problem.

We, the Members of Parliament should look after the interest of those families because most of the families of those who have committed suicides are poor peasants or marginal peasants. So, what should we do about these families? It is the concern of the Central Government and of the whole nation.

I am very happy that as soon as he took over, the Prime Minister visited Andhra Pradesh and met some relatives of those who committed suicide. He donated some money to their families. That became quite big news in the newspapers. I do not know whether there was any follow-up, not only in Andhra Pradesh but also in other States.

I think one thing you should ensure first is that the peasants are taken care of as far as possible. If at some point of time in some place some such unfortunate tragedy takes place, we should take proper rehabilitation measures. That is the main issue which I wanted to project through this Resolution before the House, the Government and the hon. Members.

I am sure, there will be a consensus on the issue. There need not be any dispute on this matter between the Government and the Opposition or other parties. This, I think, is a passing phase. We will take care of the real people of India, the real people who live in the countryside, who till on the soil, who produce food for us and who produce the wealth of our country.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Sir, it is a very important topic that has been raised by Shri Vasudevan Nair. I would like to participate on this topic. It would have been better since we are debating a topic which affects each and everybody in this country, at this time, the hon. Cabinet Minister of Agriculture himself should have been present to listen to this debate. Anyway, the other Hon. Minister of State is there.

Shri Nair has raised three or four major points. He has said that the relief work in the agrarian sector should be pointed. He has mentioned about the debt trap, unemployment and poverty of farmers and agricultural workers. He has raised the issue of mass suicides also. He has demanded for debt relief and he has demanded for refinance of agrarian sector. As a member of the Standing Committee on Finance, I have moved all over India. Our Committee has deliberated with commercial banks, private banks and the financial institutions and we have been thoroughly convinced with the hon. Finance Minister who, during the course of this year"s Budget, wanted that the agricultural credit should be doubled in three years. He is sincerely working for that. Even though I am a Member of the Opposition, I agree that he has tried and within the last six months, about 50 per cent of the targets have been achieved.

Regarding the refinance, Shri Nair has mentioned the measures to refinance to agrarian sector. Previously, what was happening? Many people who took loans from the private banks, commercial banks or the cooperative sector, could not pay back. So, they become ineligible to get further loan. The hon. Finance Minister has made them again eligible. He has rephased the agricultural credit so that people are getting loans. Every bank has been asked to bring in within three months, 100 more people who are interested in taking loans. I thank the Government for that. But instead of that, within the last six months, only in Andhra Pradesh, 1860 people have committed suicide. I am not accusing the Government for that because this is the Private Member"s Bill. I am not talking from a partisan point of view. Let the hon. Ministers, let the Members of the Treasury Benches not think that I am going to attack them. But I am raising and I am thinking aloud as to why a Government, a Congress Government which came to power, and gave an impression to the people that the previous Government actually committed the mistake and they are sorting out the mistake, still fail to curve suicide. They agreed to provide free electricity and other privileges. But still why does it happen? It happens because as a student of economics, I just feel that it is not that because farmers did not get credit, that is why they are committing suicide.

It is not a fact. The fact is that the prices of the agricultural commodities produced have come down, to a great extent, all over the world within the last two to three years. That is the major cause for which the farmer is actually not getting the remunerative price for his produce. How do we set it right?

Now, in the next five to six minutes, I will give my suggestions about what do we do about this and what the Government ought to do about this and how the farmers will not commit suicide in India. It is the agrarian sector which is heavily dependent on monsoon. The monsoon is intermittent and most of the time it fails. Agriculture has become a very risky affair in India. Now, the rural indebtedness and high rate of interest also contribute to the misery of the farmer. That is why, this is one of the many reasons for which farmers commit suicide. Now how do we set it right? We must look into two or three things. The changing demand in the pattern of food should be looked into. Priorities should be reoriented. It should lead to the promotion and diversification of agriculture. That is the basic thing. Unless we go in for the diversification of agriculture and value addition to it, the farmer is not going to get the remunerative price.

I will give you one example. I will quote from the note prepared by the Reserve Bank of India. Take, for example, the total monthly per capita expenditure on food, including both cereal and non-cereal items, in the rural and urban areas. In 1969-70, in the rural areas, 50 per cent of the expenditure in a household was spent on cereals like rice, wheat, etc., and 44 per cent was spent on non-cereal items. What has happened now? In 1999-2000, in the rural areas, the expenditure on cereals was 36 per cent. If you compare this, from 56 per cent it has come down to 36.3 per cent and on non-cereal items, it has gone up from 44 per cent to 56.7 per cent . Similarly, in the urban areas, the expenditure on cereals has come down from 36.6 per cent in 1969-70 to 25.7 per cent now. On non-cereal items, it has gone up from 63.4 per cent in 1969-70 to 74.3 per cent now. Now, you see the share of food and non-food items in relation to the total monthly per capita expenditure in rural and urban areas. How much of money is being spent in rural areas on food and non-food items? In 1969-70, people were spending 73.7 per cent of their total earning on food and now they are spending only 59.4 per cent of their total earning on that. In the case of non-food items, at that time, they were spending 26.3 per cent and now it has gone up to 40.6 per cent. Now, people are not consuming more rice or more wheat and things like that. They are taking fish, they are taking meat, they are taking more vegetables, and they are taking more fruits, milk products and so on. What has happened in India? All the time, we simply go on asking for increasing the minimum support price. We want them to give more subsidy and increase the minimum support price. This is one of the major reasons for which the farmer does not want to diversify his produce.

He wants to produce only the same paddy, and on it he is not getting the remunerative price. All the time, he is agitated, and sometimes he is committing suicide also.

Sir, I come from a State like Orissa. In the western Orissa and coastal Orissa, the farmer is not getting the remunerative price because he is unwilling to grow any other crop. He is unwilling to go in for any other agricultural produce.

Therefore, now the basic point is how do we diversify. Unless we diversify, the situation will not improve.

My hon. colleague, Shri Vasudevan Nair told about rubber. It is not for the first time that the hon. Members from Kerala have raised the issue of not getting the remunerative price for rubber. It has been raised in this House on several occasions. Then, how do they get it? If in the international market, the price is actually low, how much can the Government buy? Can any Government buy everything from a farmer? It is simply not possible. No Government can do it. Neither the NDA Government could do it nor the UPA Government can do it. Next time, even if the CPI(M) Government comes to Kerala, it will also not be able to buy everything from the farmers. It is simply not possible.

So, the question is: who will help the farmers? Who will tell the farmers which crop to grow this year and how much crop to grow this year?

Sir, you must be knowing what is happening in the western countries. They are now in the WTO regime. They have, what they call, amber box, blue box and other boxes. That means, supposing in a blue box, you produce certain things, then the Government is going to give you this much of subsidy. That is why the farmers in the western countries -- as they are getting the subsidy -- can sell their produce at a much cheaper rate. The most surprising thing is that in the western countries, there are some years when the Governments tell their farmers not to produce anything at all, so that they can get some remunerative price because they are not producing it. That is why the Governments there, are providing them the subsidy which we, in our country, are not able to give. In India, it is not possible on the part of any Government to provide subsidy. When this happens in our country, we will have to diversify. We will have to diversify because we cannot keep on just producing the same thing.

Now, you talk about Green Revolution. The Green Revolution has now become the greed Revolution. Take the example of Punjab. In Punjab, what happened in 1971? I had been to Punjab with the Committee and there, I had the opportunity to talk to the hon. Chief Minister of Punjab. I asked him, ‘Why are you producing so much of rice and sending it to Orissa, whereas we are a rice producing State? All the godowns in Orissa are full of paddy being sent from Punjab.’ He said: ‘In 1971, there was a scarcity of food in India, and the then Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi told us to produce rice in Punjab and they would buy it.’ Now, what is happening in Punjab? The ground water in Punjab is almost finished as the cultivation of paddy requires more and more water. Orissa, Assam and West Bengal are the States where water is in surplus.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Swain, please conclude now.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : Please give me two to three minutes, and within this time, I would conclude my speech… (Interruptions)

एक माननीय सदस्य : बहुत हो गया।… (Interruptions)

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : I know… (Interruptions) This, I do not expect from you because I have very high regards for you. You are there with me in the Standing Committee on Finance also.… (Interruptions) You are a professor. This sort of comment hurts… (Interruptions)

Sir, when I asked the Chief Minister of Punjab, he said: ‘Since we were told by the then Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi that this rice which is being produced by the farmers of Punjab would be purchased by the Government of India. We are producing it in plenty, we are producing it even now.’ But, they also feel that it should be diversified. It is because, you see in the Western countries, there are 2 to 3 per cent of the people who resort to agriculture. There, agriculture is not a culture; it is a business. We will have to change this culture into agri-business also.

Sir, I will tell you just one or two points. Now, for this region, we will have to take up post-harvest activities – storage, transportation, processing and marketing of non-cereal products. We will have to go for this contract farming also. One of the good things is the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana. It will provide the rural connectivity. That will also facilitate transportation – the movement of agricultural produce. The South-East and East-Asian countries moved away from cereal to non-cereal crops many years back, they have been able to provide a lot of incentives to their farmers in the rural sector. In this way, they have also been able to create more employment opportunities in the rural sector. Sir, industry is not going to eradicate the unemployment problem. It is only the agri-business – it is the agro-based industries in the rural areas – which will be able to do it.

MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri Ramji Lal Suman.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : Last sentence, Sir.

MR. CHAIRMAN: You have taken more than 20 minutes.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : Only one minute. I will say only one sentence.

Sir, I appeal to the Government of India that, basically on this point – it is because the agriculture credit will now be available; and even if it is made available, farmers will still commit suicides – if they do not diversify. So, kindly involve the agricultural universities for preparing the scheme for educating the people as to what to produce, what not to produce and how much to produce. If that is done, then only the lot of the farmers will change.

श्री रामजीलाल सुमन (फ़िरोज़ाबाद) : सभापति जी, श्री पी.के.वासुदेवन नायर जी का जो निजी संकल्प है, जिसमें देश के वभिन्न हिस्सों में किसानों की परेशानियों और खासकर आंध्रा प्रदेश, कर्नाटक और महाराष्ट्र में पिछले दिनों किसानों द्वारा आत्महत्या की घटनाएं प्रकाश में आई हैं, उन पर यह सदन चर्चा करे - मैं निश्चित रूप से श्री नायर जी की चिंता का समर्थन करता हूं। मैं यहां पर विस्तार में जाना नहीं चाहता हूं क्योंकि कार्य-मंत्रणा समति ने तय किया है कि इसकी चर्चा नियम १९३ के तहत इस सदन में आने वाली है। लेकिन मैं दो-तीन बातों की और आपका ध्यान ले जाना चाहूंगा। अभी मेरे मित्र श्री खारबेल स्वाईं ने बहुत अच्छा भाषण दिया। सभापति महोदय, किसान आत्महत्याएं क्यों कर रहे हैं? बुनियादी बात यह है कि आज खेती अलाभकारी हो गयी है। माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी कितना ऋण देंगे, कितना नहीं देंगे, वह अलग सवाल है लेकिन उससे महत्वपूर्ण सवाल यह है कि किसान जो कर्जा लेते हैं, उसे अदा करने की उसकी क्षमता खत्म हो गयी है -यह असली सवाल है। उत्पादन लागत रोजाना बढ़ रही है और उस हिसाब से उत्पाद के मूल्य मिलते नहीं हैं। हम अत्यधिक उदार हो गए हैं। हमने दुनिया के बाजार सामान के लिए खोल दिए हैं लेकिन हम अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय स्पर्द्धा में कहीं टिक नहीं रहे हैं। किसानों की परेशानी बढ़ी है। आजाद हिन्दुस्तान में कृषि की निरन्तर उपेक्षा हुई है। यह देश के लोगों को रोजगार देने वाला सबसे बड़ा क्षेत्र है। हमें सबसे अधिक रोजगार कृषि से मिलता है लेकिन बजट में इसके लिए जितने धन का प्रावधान करना चाहिए, नहीं किया गया। कृषि का जितना संरक्षण और संवर्द्धन होना चाहिए, वह काम देश में नहीं हुआ।

सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात यह है कि किसान की उत्पादन लागत बढ़ रही है। डीजल महंगा हुआ तो किसान पर मार पड़ी। खाद के दाम बढ़े तो किसानों पर मार पड़ी। किसानों पर रोज मार पड़ रही है। इसे कैसे रोकें, इसका स्थायी बंदोबस्त सरकार को करना चाहिए। परसों एक बहुत महत्वपूर्ण सवाल इस सदन में उठा था। राजस्थान में पानी के सवाल पर पांच किसान मारे गए। श्री रासा सिंह जी, उस समय हाउस व्यवस्थित नहीं था इसलिए जितनी प्रमुखता के साथ इस तरफ तवज्जो देनी चाहिए थी, नहीं दी गई। मैं किसी की आलोचना नहीं करना चाहता लेकिन यह कहना चाहता हूं कि राजस्थान खास तौर पर एक सूखाग्रस्त प्रान्त है। वहां पानी की समस्या अन्य प्रान्तों से ज्यादा है। राजस्थान में किसानों के लिए सिंचाई की व्यवस्था करने का सवाल है और खास तौर से हनुमानगढ़, श्रीगंगानगर और बीकानेरजिलोंमें इस समस्या को देखने का सवाल है। किसानों के सामने सिंचाई की समस्या आज पैदा नहीं हुई है। यह बहुत पुरानी समस्या है लेकिन पिछले पांच साल से यह गम्भीर समस्या है। पानी को लेकर किसी एक राज्य के बीच विवाद नहीं है। हिन्दुस्तान के अधिकांश राज्यों में पानी को लेकर विवाद हैं। भारत सरकार को उसमें हस्तक्षेप करके वभिन्न प्रान्तों के बीच पानी के विवाद को हल करना चाहिए। हनुमानगढ़, बीकानेर और श्रीगंगानगर में इन्दिरा गांधी नहर से प्रथम चरण में घड़साना, रावला तक पानी जाता है और दूसरे चरण में जैसलमेर, बीकानेर और बाड़मेर जिले आते हैं। सवाल यह था कि जब उन्हें सिंचाई के लिए पानी नहीं मिला तो किसान आन्दोलित हुए। वे एक दिन में संगठित नहीं हुए, उनका यह आन्दोलन तीन महीने से चल रहा था। ३ दिसम्बर को राजस्थान की मुख्यमंत्री प्रधान मंत्री से मिली थीं। हमारे सांसद मित्र भी प्रधान मंत्री से मिले थे। उन्होंने कहा कि रावी, व्यास नदियों से राजस्थान के हिस्से का जो पानी मिलता है, भाखड़ा, व्यास नियंत्रण मंडल को, उसके लिए पंजाब सरकार को निर्देश दिया जाए कि वह रावी व्यास समझौते के अनुसार उसके हिस्से का १.६ एमएएफ पानी यानी ५२.६९ परसैंट राजस्थान को दिया जाए।

16.28 hrs. (Shri Devendra Prasad Yadav in the Chair) वहां पानी की पिछले पांच साल से खास तौर पर समस्या है। थोड़े दिनों पहले आपकी सरकार थी। कुछ बंदोबस्त आपको करना चाहिए था लेकिन वह क्यों नहीं किया। जब सिंचाई के लिए दिक्कत पैदा हुई तो वहां के किसानों ने आन्दोलन किया और २७ सितम्बर को घड़साना तहसील के सामने किसानों ने प्रदर्शन किया, शांतिपूर्ण धरना दिया। सरकार की ओर से किसानों से एक महीने तक बात नहीं की। वहां २६ अक्तूबर को तनाव हुआ और २७ अक्तूबर को गोली चली जिस में चार किसान मारे गए। अभी तीन-चार दिन पहले एक किसान खाजूवाला में भगदड़ का शिकार हुआ। श्री कालू सिंह निवासी, रावला, श्री राजकुमार सिंधी, रावला मंडी, दुकान बंद करते समय मारा गया। श्री जेठाराम मेघवाल, श्री मांगीलाल विश्नोई, श्री हजूर सिंह भगदड़ में मारे गए। इस तरह से पांच किसान वहां मारे गए। सैंकड़ों किसानों के खिलाफ संगीन धाराओं के अंतर्गत केस दर्ज किये गये हैं। सैंकड़ों किसान घायल हुये हैं जो चुपचाप अपना इलाज करवा रहे हैं। अनूपगढ़, हनुमानगढ़, गढसाणा, बीकानेर, रावला और श्रीगंगानगर जिलों मे अधिकाशं स्थानों पर कफ्र्यू लगा हुआ है और सेना मार्च कर रही है। मैं कांग्रेसी मित्रों से कहना चाहता हूं कि उन्हें तवज्जह देनी चाहिये थी क्योंकि पंजाब और केन्द्र में उनकी सरकार है। राजस्थान में जिन मित्रों की सरकार है, क्या मैं उन से नहीं पूछ सकता कि दुनिया में ऐसी कौन सी समस्या है जिसका हल बातचीत के जरिये न हो सकता हो, बशर्ते कि नीयत साफ हो। जब किसान आन्दोलित हुये, उनके नेताओं से बातचीत की जा सकती थी। अगर कोई मजबूरी थी तो उसे बताना चाहिये था। मैं ऐसा मानता हूं कि बातचीत का रास्ता अख्तियार नहीं किया गया। राजस्थान प्रदेश भाजपा अध्यक्ष कहते हैं कि किसानों पर गोली चलाना सरकार की मजबूरी थी…( व्यवधान)

MR. CHAIRMAN : Nothing, except Shri Ramji Lal Suman, will go on record.

(Interruptions) * * Not Recorded श्री रामजीलाल सुमन : सभापति जी, केवल बातचीत के जरिये समस्या का हल हो सकता था…( व्यवधान)

MR. CHAIRMAN: Please address to the Chair.

श्री रामजीलाल सुमन : सभापति महोदय, राजस्थान के माननीय सदस्यों का एक प्रतनधि मंडल २६ अक्तूबर को घटना स्थल का दौरा करने गया था। राजस्थान में मंत्री श्री राजेन्द्र सिंह राठौङ हमारे मित्र हैं। उनके अलावा श्री मानक चंद सुराणा और श्री साबरमल जाट जो मंत्री हैं, वे भी उनके साथ थे। उन्होंने कहा कि सरकार ने अपने कर्तव्य का निर्वहन ठीक से नहीं किया। मेरे पास अखबार की कटिंग्ज हैं जिनमें लिखा है कि स्थानीय प्रशासन की भूमिका संदिग्ध है। वहां स्थिति आज गंभीर है। इसलिये मेरा आपके माध्यम से निवेदन है कि जैसे जैसे किसानों का आंदोलन संगठित हो रहा है, किसानों में एकजुटता हो रही है। कहीं खाद के दाम बढ़े हैं, कहीं भाव ठीक नहीं मिले, कहीं सूखे से या कहीं बाढ़ से किसानों में भारी नाराजगी है। कहीं सिंचाई के पानी की समस्या से किसान नाराज है। सरकार उस नाराजगी को कम कर सकती है, यह दूसरा सवाल है, लेकिन कम से कम बातचीत का रास्ता खुला रखना चाहिये। अगर हम कंजूसी करते है तो ठीक नहीं। उनकी मांगों को सुनने के बजाय हम उन पर गोली चला रहे हैं, यह शर्मनाक बात है।

सभापति महोदय, मैं किसी पर आरोप नहीं लगा रहा हूं। आज विपक्ष में बैठे हुये लोग कल तक सरकार में थे। यदि प्रतिपक्ष कोई सकारात्मक सुझाव देता है तो उसे स्वीकार करना चाहिये। सरकार भाषणों और आंकड़ों से नहीं चला करती, वह आचरण से चलेगी। जो आपका काम करने का तौर-तरीका होगा, उन वर्गों पर आपके काम करने का असर पड़ेगा और जनता बोलेगी। यह किसी भी सरकार को नापने का सही पैमाना होगा। मैं यह बात निश्चित रूप से कहना चाहूगा कि आज किसानों को न पूर्व सरकार से इन्साफ मिला और न इस सरकार से मिल रहा है। आज पूरे हिन्दुस्तान में किसानों के सामने समस्यायें हैं। जैसा मैंने प्रारम्भ में कहा कि बढ़ते हुये खाद के दाम, डीजल के बढ़ते हुये दाम और किसानों को उनके उत्पाद का उचित मूल्य न मिलना, जगह-जगह पानी के विवाद उनके सामने समस्या खङी कर रहे हैं। हम लोग प्राकृतिक आपदा पर चर्चा करते हैं। मैं राजनैतिक कार्यकर्त्ता होने के नाते सूखा और बाढ़ को प्राकृतिक आपदा नहीं मानता क्योकि यह मानव-निर्मित समस्या है। यह सही है कि देश के विशेष भाग चिन्हित है कि वहां बाढ़ आयेगी या सूखा पड़ेगा। लेकिन आप जानते हैं कि राजस्थान में सूखा पड़ता है। यह देश का दुर्भाग्य है कि चेरापूंजी में सब से अधिक पानी बरसता है। हमारे पास पानी इकट्ठा करने का कोई साधन नहीं है। अगर ज्यादा पानी वाले क्षेत्रों का पानी कम पानी वाले क्षेत्रों में धकेल दिया जाये तो न तो सूखा रह सकता है और न बाढ़ …( व्यवधान)

MR. CHAIRMAN: Please do not interrupt.

श्री रामजीलाल सुमन : सभापति जी, न मुझे इधर के लोगों की चिन्ता है, न उधर के लोगों की चिन्ता है। मुझे तो चिन्ता इस बात की है कि किसानों को परेशानी नहीं होनी चाहिये।

सरकार की जो मर्यादा और क्षमता है, उसके मुताबिक सरकार को अगर कहीं किसानों का आंदोलन संगठित हो रहा है तो प्रथम चरण में उनसे बात होनी चाहिए और उन्हें समझाना-बुझाना चाहिए।

सभापति महोदय, मैं एक बार फिर श्री वासुदेवन नायर जी द्वारा जो संकल्प किसानों की तकलीफों को ध्यान में रखकर यहां प्रस्तुत किया गया है, उसका समर्थन करता हूं और आशा व्यक्त करता हूं कि सरकार निश्चित रूप से किसानों के पक्ष में कुछ सकारात्मक कदम उठायेगी।

MR. CHAIRMAN : All the hon. Members are informed that there are 11 more speakers to speak on this Resolution. Therefore, kindly do not speak for more than five to seven minutes.

SHRI S.K. KHARVENTHAN (PALANI): Sir, I thank our senior leader, Shri Vasudevan Nair for bringing this important subject before this august House. When this country obtained freedom in 1947, we used to purchase foodgrains from erstwhile Burma and other countries. But now we are exporting foodgrains throughout the world. The reason behind that is the hard work of the farmers of this country and also the Green Revolution introduced by our former Minister of Agriculture, Shri Subramaniam.

The problems of both the farmers and farm labourers are inter-connected. There are so many reasons for that. The main reason is that in some areas, there is non-availability of water and in some areas there is flood situation. In the areas adjoining Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, there is more water. If you go down to South, in Tamil Nadu, without water in Cauvery and other rivers, there is very meagre successful paddy crop in Thanjavur and other regions because they are not able to get adequate water. But there is monsoon failure for the past three years. There is a famous Thirukkural in Tamil which says:

"Uzhudundu vazhvare vazhvar matrellam Thozhudundu pin selvar."

 

 It means those who are doing farm work, they alone would live peacefully and others have to go behind the farmers. But the pathetic situation in this country is that the farmers and farm labourers are going after the cooperative institutions and nationalised banks for getting loan for cultivation .

Another important thing is that the farmers are not able to get appropriate price for their production. Suppose a pen is being sold for Rs.10 by manufacturer, he is calculating before production. Its manufacturing cost is Rs.5 plus Rs.2 for tax. In total, it is costing Rs.7. But he is selling it at Rs.10 with a profit of Rs.3. Is it possible for an agriculturist to fix the price at Rs.700 per bag of paddy before it is produced? All the sugarcane factories are not giving money to the sugarcane farmers. The sugarcane is lying everywhere. The farmers have been fighting for a number of years for getting good price. Some State Governments had given free electricity to the farmers. The farmers in Tamil Nadu had organised an agitation 20 years ago for supply of free electricity. At that time, 64 persons were died due to police firing and thousands were imprisoned and I was one among them. During 1980, when Shri Kalaighinar Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, he gave free electricity to the farmers for the first time. But due to a new Act enacted by the previous Government at the Centre, supply of free electricity was stopped by present government and restored from 13th May this year. The farmers of this country are producing paddy or wheat. They are not producing it for themselves alone, they produce it for others also. But even then they are not able to live happily. For the past three years, there is no rain at all in Tamil Nadu. A drinking water pot is costing Rs.5 and a lorry of water is costing Rs.450. That is the situation. Only now we had some rains in the last few months. For everything they are begging from the cooperative banks. What ate the cooperative people doing? They just say that some previous loan is there, therefore, you first pay that money. Unless that money is paid, they are not giving further loan. Those who paid loan properly also not provided loan by co-operative Banks. Even the nationalised banks are not giving any money. Our Finance Minister visited number of banks in Tamil Nadu and instructed all the bank officials to give loan to farmers. But they are not giving loan. They are asking them to get a No Objection Certificate from all the banks. After getting NoC from ten banks, he goes to the same bank. But what do the bank authorities say? They say: `Rs.1,000 of IRDP loan is outstanding against you. Therefore, we will not give the loan’. Then he is compelled to go to the private moneylender. If the private moneylender gives Rs.5000, he charges Rs.3 per day as interest. But he is not able to pay either the interest or the principal amount on time. In the end, he has no other option but to commit suicide.

The Government has to take effective steps to see that long-term, interest free loans are made available to poor farmers. Existing loans to be wiped off. Any industrialist could get a loan to the tune of rupees two thousand crore and his loan is waived off because his business did not take off and everything became a Non-Performing Asset. But to recover a loan of just Rs. 5,000/- or Rs. 10,000/- the bank officials visit the house of that poor farmer and snatch away the mangalsutra of his wife in the name of attachment and humiliate him. What, other than committing suicide, could the poor farmer do in such an event? About 70 per cent of our population comprises of agriculturists. But their condition is very pitiable and pathetic.

Sir, a farm labourer has to die as a farm labourer only. If a farm labourer wants his children to enter the educational arena, it does not become possible for him to do so. I will give an example. In my constituency, the son of a poor farmer scored more than 1000 marks out of a total of 1200. He approached the bank for loan to pursue higher education. The Bank Manager asked him as to which community he belonged to. On knowing his community, that student was denied the loan. This is very unfortunate.

Sir, I am an agriculturist and we are largely an agrarian society. I would like to submit that without inter-linking of rivers, the problems faced by the farmers cannot be solved. We are getting more waters from rivers like the Ganges and the Brahmaputra but we are not getting any water from rivers like Amravati Cauvery and other parannial rivers in the South. So, the Government must allocate huge funds for inter-linking of rivers throughout the country and until this is done, the problems faced by the farm sector cannot be solved in this country.

Sir, I once again thank you for giving me this opportunity.

   

SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN (KASARGOD): Sir, I rise to support the Resolution moved by Shri P. K. Vasudevan Nair. I think, this Session is more an appropriate time to bring this Resolution than it was in the last Session because it is in the very recent past that we have come across alarming reports regarding suicides by farmers from different parts of the country. We, the MPs from Kerala, have not only raised this issue in this House, but also have staged a Satyagraha before Parliament. I am sorry to say that the Government has not really gone into the depth of the problem. Of course, some of the issues are beyond the control of the Government. Like, for the last three years there was not enough rainfall in our State. If you look at the amount of rain that Kerala received during the last few years, you would notice that in the year 2000 it was-18, in 2001 it was-3, in 2002 it was-17, in 2003 it was -27. As a result of this, there was a drought-like situation in the State.

Sir, due to shortage of time, I would first like to concentrate on the issues relating to our State. On the one hand, there has been drought-like situation and on the other, there is flood. Such a situation has really made the economic scenario of the State very grim. Agricultural crops like paddy, vegetables and other food grains have suffered a great deal because of floods and drought. Paddy production was to the tune of 60 per cent; coconut production was to the tune of 60-70 per cent; vegetable production was to the tune of 60-70 per cent; pepper production was to the tune of 80 per cent; banana production was to the tune of 60-70 per cent; cardamom production was to the tune of 60-70 per cent and coffee production was to the tune of 65 per cent. The production of all other cash crops also has decreased.

Sir, the unfortunate aspect of the matter is that in spite of our having raised this issue before the hon. Finance Minister and the hon. Agriculture Minister, citing technical reasons, no action was taken. Sometimes the Government does not give appropriate reports on the situation as prevailing. But people are really suffering and it is also resulting in suicide deaths.

Sir, it has been said correctly by Shri Vasudevan Nair that the Government of Kerala has given a report that, the Agriculture Minister made a statement that there were no suicide deaths in the State of Kerala. But we know that there were suicides. In Idukki district alone, the figure goes to about 92. In Kerala, for the last three years, it has come to about 1000, which includes deaths on other issues also.

I am coming from the northern part of Kerala which is near Karnataka and which is specially an arecanut area. The best quality of arecanut is produced in Kerala. But most of the farmers are on the brink of committing suicide in that area. On the one side, there are natural calamities which are becoming national calamities. When we say natural calamities, it includes drought and flood. As regards the national calamity, the policy which the Government is taking is one of the reasons. I raised the same issue in the Standing Committee on Commerce and Industry. We have signed some agreements with other nations. We are proud of having an increase in exports. Of course, we have to increase our exports, but it should not be at the cost of our domestic industry and agricultural sector.

You may find that the Indo-Sri Lankan Agreement has really affected Kerala much. The cost of one tonne of pepper was Rs. 23,000. Now, it has decreased to Rs. 7000. How can the farmer live in such a condition? It is true in the case of arecanut. It was Rs. 16,000 in that case. Now it has become Rs. 7000 or Rs. 8000. It is true in Karnataka and many other districts. The Kasargod Primary Cooperative Rural Development Bank has issued notices to farmers. If you take some measures, they cannot deny it.

Just to make you understand, I would read out some details. Mr. Vittal Naik has taken a loan of Rs. 3 lakh but he has to pay Rs. 5 lakh now. Mr. Bhatt took Rs. 5 lakh from them but now, it has become Rs. 8 lakh. Thousands of notices are being issued to the farmers as they are unable to pay back the money. It is because the import policy which the Government has followed is adversely affecting the farmers. The Government has to understand that it is the result of the action due to anti-farmer measures taken by the previous Government. There were suicides not only now but during that time also. The same situation is continuing.

Sri Lanka is giving us pepper but it is of a more cheaper quality. But our pepper is the famous Malabar pepper which is known not only in India but in the world as well. We are mixing the cheaper quality and the super quality together and exporting. Thus, our market is really becoming bad.

It is true in the case of cardamom also. As regards rubber, there were some limitations last time as only selected ports were allowed to do it. Now, rubber can be imported through all the ports. As a result, we cannot have any idea on how much rubber we are getting. Production of agricultural crops including cash crops is suffering due to drought on the one side and flood on the other side. At the same time, the policy which the Government has formed is also to be taken into consideration.

I do not blame anybody on this issue. But how can we save the farmers? This is the main question. It is because many farmers are committing suicide. The Government of Kerala has announced a moratorium up to December. After December, notices will again go to the farmers and they will not able to pay. In this situation, how can we save the farmers? That is the main question.

We, the Members from Kerala, had a meeting yesterday with the Prime Minister to discuss this issue. I thought that when we discuss it, there will be some result which would be declared today by yourself on this issue. But there is no result at all. My suggestion with regard to suicides is that the interest part should be fully met by the Government. It is not possible to be done by the State Government or the co-operative societies alone.

They are demanding the re-scheduling of the principal amount for 10 or 12 years. We have to give fresh loans. The societies have to give fresh loans. Here, I would like to mention one point. Farmers are taking a number of loans. But these loans are not considered as agricultural loans. All the loans that the farmers are taking have to be considered as agricultural loans. When we are giving fresh loans, the interest rates should be lowered. Otherwise, they cannot survive. As far as Kerala is concerned, the situation is very grim, whether it is agricultural crops or cash crops. It is reflected in the economy also. We, the Members of Parliament, have come and met you and the Government of Kerala has given three representations. Of course there were some lapses. We admit that. But I am sorry to say that no decision has been taken. This is high time that the Government should have taken some decisions. That is my only plea.

SHRI SURAVARAM SUDHAKAR REDDY (NALGONDA): Mr. Chairman, Sir, thank you. I support the Resolution of Shri P.K. Vasudevan Nair who explained, though briefly the plight of the farmers due to the agricultural crisis in the country. In spite of industrialisation, very large population in our country is still dependent on agriculture and the crisis in agriculture sector is naturally affecting the entire country. There are several reasons for the present crisis. While the natural calamities and the failure of monsoon have created a big havoc in the agriculture sector, the Governments have also played their part in this present crisis. Continuously for the last four or five years, the monsoon has not been regular. Last year more than fourteen States were reeling under the drought situation. Under these circumstances, naturally we have to think of long-term measures to solve these types of problems. Large parts of cultivable areas in the country are still dependent on the rains. We are unable to give irrigation facilities to most of these farmers. Whenever there is failure of monsoon and whenever there is failure of seasonal rains, naturally there is drought and it immediately affects the farmers. Global warming and other problems are adding to this crisis. Only two days before, when we were discussing India"s foreign policy, a point was made about great countries like the United States of America refusing to accept international norms on global warming. It is not totally in our hands to solve these problems. But after nearly six decades of Independence, it is very much in our hands to arrange irrigation facilities for our farmers.

The next issue is about the abnormal increase in the prices of inputs, like seeds, chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. This is definitely a man-made crisis. The cost of agricultural inputs are increasing year after year. But the agricultural products are not getting remunerative prices. On the other side, there is miserable fall in the prices of agricultural products. The present crisis is growing because in the last few years the WTO agreements have come into force. This has created additional burden on us. Huge imports of the food products, like sugar and rice and commercial products, like cotton and edible oil have resulted in the fall of prices in India.

Unfortunately, the NDA Government did not take necessary measures to defend the Indian peasants from this problem. The kisan was looted by the middleman. It was a very serious crisis. In the last few decades, if you see the position, the cost of the price of cloth is going up but the price of cotton is going down. The price of sugar is increasing but the price of sugar-cane is not increasing correspondingly. The cigarette prices have increased probably 300 per cent in the last one decade but the price of tobacco has not increased even by 30 per cent. In regard to edible oil, ground-nut and other things also, the corresponding prices are definitely at a loss to the peasants. This is a very unfortunate situation. Even the farmers who are cultivating and producing fruits and vegetables are not getting remunerative prices. In Andhra Pradesh, there is a very large area which is generally a drought area. In Chittoor district, in Madanapalli and in Karnool district, the price of a kilogram of tomato has fallen down to less than 25 paise; lime was not saleable even for ten paise. We have seen how the onion-producing peasants in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have suffered very big losses.

Unfortunately, some of my colleagues are not in a position to understand the demand for the remunerative price in a right spirit, I believe. I remember a story told long back, before the French Revolution. When there was a huge demonstration in the streets of Paris, the Queen of France inquired what for the people were agitating. Somebody said that they did not have bread. So, the Queen was angry and said that they could very well eat cakes if the bread was not available. This is the type of understanding that if remunerative price is given to peasants, the peasants will go on producing the same type of crop and it will be a loss to the Government. It is not a proper understanding of the agricultural situation in our country. Remunerative price is not a favour given to the peasant. It is not a charity. When the price of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides, seeds are being increased abnormally, how can the peasants survive without a remunerative price? A large number of people in our country, 35 to 40 per cent of the population of our country are still below the poverty line. Therefore, foodgrains should be available to them at a cheaper price. So, naturally, the cost of the foodgrains is to be put at limited price. Then, the subsidy is necessary for the peasant. If you do not give the remunerative price, if you do not give enough subsidy, there will be a revolt in this country. Naturally, to keep up the balance in this country, agriculture should be given a very big subsidy. Remunerative price is a part of it.

Now, I would like to propose two solutions. The peasants in a very large number are committing suicides particularly in Andhra Pradesh from where I am coming. It is true that the Press reported that more than 1800 kisans committed suicide. In spite of the free electricity that was announced for agriculture by the new Government, the suicides are continuing. The main reason is the debt trap. The present crisis is an unprecedented crisis. Then, naturally, the Government should come out with a very courageous decision like total waiver of all the debts of the poor and marginal farmers of the affected area. The Crop Insurance, which is a very bogus type of insurance today, should be made more useful to the kisans.

17.00 hrs. These are the two most important things that the Government must do. The Central Government has to help those States which are suffering with drought in a big way. These days, along with the peasants, the agricultural labourers and other people, who are earning their livelihood out of agriculture, are also suffering very much and they all need help.

   

प्रो. रासा सिंह रावत (अजमेर) : मान्यवर सभापति महोदय, मैं श्री वासुदेवन नायर जी के द्वारा प्रस्तुत संकल्प का पुरजोर समर्थन करता हूं । निश्चित रूप से भारत एक कृषि प्रधान देश है और भारतीय अर्थव्यवस्था का मूल आधार कृषि है । यहां तक कि इस सृष्टि के आदि में वेद का प्रादुर्भाव हुआ है । वेदों के अंदर भी लिखा हुआ है " अक्षैर्मादीव्य: कृषिमीत कृषिस्व"अर्थात - हे मानव खेती कर, जुआ मत खेल ।

वेदों में भी खेती की बात कही गई है । इससे पता चलता है कि प्राचीनकाल से ही हमारा देश कृषि प्रधान देश है । हमारे यहां के त्यौहार, हमारे यहां की संस्कृति, हमारा रहन-सहन सब कुछ कृषि पर निर्भर है । आज किसानों की जो दयनीय हालत हो गई है, जिसको अन्नदाता कहा जाता है । किसान के लिए कहा जाता है क "शीत कांपता जिसके भय से, आतप ठंडा पड़ जाता है लिए फावड़ा वह पथ पर आता, वर्षा से भी क्या घबराता है।"

सर्दी, गर्मी, बरसात कैसी भी ऋतु हो, वह रात दिन काम करता है । कवि ने इसीलिए लिखा है - शीत कांपता जिसके भय से अर्थात जिस किसान के भय से शीत भी कांपने लग जाती है और आतप ठंडा पड़ जाता है अर्थात जेठ महिने की दोपहरिया भी जिस किसान की मेहनत के सामने ठंडी पड़ जाती है । फावड़ा लिए जब वह खेत की ओर जाता है तो वह वर्षा से भी नहीं घबराता है । ऐसे रात-दिन काम करने वाला किसान, खेत के अंदर मिट्टी से सोना पैदा करने वाला किसान और हम जब कहते हैं कि "मेरे देश की धरती सोना उगले, उगले हीरे मोती"ऐसे लहलहाने वाली फसलों को पैदा करने वाला किसान आज आत्महत्या पर मजबूर हो रहा है । यह एक दूसरे को दोष देने का प्रश्न नहीं है । यहां पर हम सब के लिए चिंतनीय है कि आखिर किसान की दयनीय स्थिति क्यों है?

मान्यवर, मैं इसी संदर्भ में कहना चाहूंगा कि हिंदुस्तान की जो खेती है वह मानसून पर निर्भर है ।

Indian agriculture is the gambling of the monsoon. हिंदुस्तान की खेती के बारे में कहा जाता है कि वह मानसून का जुआ है । अच्छी वर्षा मतलब अच्छी खेती, अच्छा पानी मतलब अच्छी खेती और खराब वर्षा या अनिश्चित्ता, अनियमित्ता, अनावृष्टि या अतिवृष्टि यह सारा किसान के लिए दुखदायी बन जाता है । इसलिए पहला कारण किसान की मृत्यु का क्रॉप फेल्युर है । अतिवृष्टि या अनावृष्टि से फसल पकने के समय में एकदम बरबाद हो जाती हैं । अभी राजस्थान के अंदर चार साल से लगातार सूखा पड़ रहा था । इस वर्ष फसल थोड़ी ठीक थी । अब एक वर्षा अगर और हो जाती तो रुपये में १२ आने फसल हो जाती । एक वर्षा नहीं होने के कारण रुपये में से चवन्नी भी नहीं रही और सारी फसलों का चारा मात्र रह गया । इसलिए यदि किसान की फसल का सही समय पर सब प्रकार से बीमा तय हो जाए तो मैं समझता हूं कि उस किसान के नुकसान की भरपाई हो सकती है । अभी माननीय सदस्य एनडीए की सरकार के बारे में कुछ कह रहे थे । मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि एनडीए की सरकार को धन्यवाद देना चाहिए, जिन्होंने किसान के लिए क्रेडिट कार्ड बनाया । बैंकों से कर्ज लेने के लिए अमीर लोगों के पास तो क्रेडिट कार्ड होते हैं । माननीय अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी के नेतृत्व वाली एनडीए की सरकार किसान के लिए क्रेडिट कार्ड बनाने वाली पहली सरकार थी ।

मान्यवर, अतिवृष्टि, अनावृष्टि, अकाल, सूखा और इन सारी समस्याओं को दूर करने के लिए नदियों को जोड़ने की स्कीम भी पहली बार एनडीए की सरकार ने माननीय अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी के नेतृत्व में बनाई थी । जिन नदियों में बाढ़ आ जाती है उनके पानी को सूखे इलाकों में पहुंचाया जा सके इससे वहां पर पानी भी मिल जाएगा और नदियों में बाढ़ से नुकसान भी नहीं होगा । उन्होंने नदियों को आपस में जोड़ने की स्कीम बनाई थी । मैं माननीय सभापति महोदय, आपके माध्यम से श्री भूरिया जी से प्रार्थना करना चाहूंगा कि पिछली सरकार ने जो योजना बनाई थी, वह योजना ठंडे बस्ते में न डालें । अपितु नदियों को जोड़ने की योजना को आगे बढ़ाएं ताकि किसान को लाभ हो सके और क्रॉप फेल्युर का सामना न करना पड़े ।

मान्यवर, किसान के बारे में कहा जाता है कि हिंदुस्तान का किसान कर्जे में ही पैदा होता है, कर्जे के अंदर ही पलता है और कर्जे के अंदर ही मर जाता है । Indebtedness of farmers is due to loans taken at high rate of interest. इतनी ऊंची ब्याज की दरों के आधार पर जो पैसा वह बैंकों से लेता है उसको अच्छी फसल न होने के कारण चुका नहीं पाता है और परिणामस्वरूप वह आत्महत्या करने पर मजबूर हो जाता है । बड़े दुख के साथ कहना पड़ता है कि कांग्रेस ने आंध्राप्रदेश में किसानों की आत्महत्याओं के नाम पर जीत कर सरकार भी बना ली । मैं आपके माध्यम से उनसे पूछना चाहता हूं कि क्या उनकी सरकार बनने के बाद भी आंध्रा के अंदर किसानों की आत्महत्याएं रुक गई हैं, नहीं रुकी हैं ।

अभी भी वहां किसानों द्वारा आत्म-हत्याएं हो रही हैं। १९९९ तक १५१ किसान आत्महत्या के शिकार हुए। इसी प्रकार वर्ष १९९९ में आंध्रा प्रदेश में १५१, वर्ष २००० में ३४, वर्ष २००१ में ६२ और वर्ष २००२ में २६ किसान आत्महत्या के शिकार हुए। उड़ीसा में १.४.९९ से १८.१०.२००३ तक १०० किसानों की मृत्यु हुई। पंजाब में ३ किसानों की मृत्यु हुई। कर्नाटक में १.४.९९ से १८.१०.२००३ तक ४६९ किसानों की मृत्यु हुई।…( व्यवधान)

सभापति महोदय : अब आप कनक्लूड कीजिए।

...( व्यवधान)

प्रो. रासा सिंह रावत : मान्यवर, मैं आपका संरक्षण चाहूंगा।…( व्यवधान)

सभापति महोदय : इस डिबेट पर चर्चा का समय दो घंटे है। आपके और भी माननीय सदस्य बोलने वाले हैं।

प्रो. रासा सिंह रावत : हमें उनकी आत्महत्या के कारणों के बारे में सोचना पड़ेगा। किसानों को सस्ती दर पर ब्याज उपलब्ध किया जाए। कृषि ऋणदात्री सहकारी समतियां, जो गांवों में बनी हुई हैं, उनकी स्थिति को सुद्ृढ़ किया जाए। गांवों में जो कोआपरेटिव बैंक हैं, किसानों को सस्ते बीज मुहैया कराए जाएं, लोन आदि की दरों को भी कम किया जाए। राष्ट्रीयकृत बैंकों से दिए जाने वाले कर्ज के रेट थोड़े कम किए जाएं। चार साल तक अकाल पड़ा जिससे किसान ब्याज नहीं दे पाया तो उस पर चक्रवर्ती ब्याज जुड़ जाता है। मूल ऐसे ही रह जाता है। इसके बारे में भी हमें सोचना पड़ेगा।

इसी प्रकार सोशल एंड इकोनॉमिक इनसिक्युरिटी - नौकरी करने वाले संगठन को दुनिया भर में सुविधाएं हैं। उनको पैंशन मिलेगी, ग्रेच्युटी मिलेगी और छुटि्टयां भी मिलेंगी लेकिन किसान संगठित नहीं है जिसके परिणामस्वरूप वह हड़ताल नहीं कर सकता, मांगें नहीं मनवा सकता। किसानों की समस्याओं को सुलझाने के लिए आप और हम सबको राजनैतिक मतभेदों की दीवारों से ऊपर उठकर राष्ट्रीय हित में सोचना पड़ेगा, तब उसकी समस्या का हल होगा।

मैं दो-तीन सुझाव और देना चाहूंगा। लघु सिंचाई योजना - बड़े-बड़े बांध बना दिए गए लेकिन पानी नहीं भरेंगे, नदियों में पानी नहीं आएगा। छोटी-छोटी सिंचाई योजना, परम्परागत सिंचाई के साधनों को प्रोत्साहन दिया जाए। कुंआ, बावड़ी, तालाब, वाटरशैड के कार्यक्रमों को अधिक प्रोत्साहन दिया जाए ताकि अगर थोड़ा-बहुत पानी भी आता है तो वह धरती में जाकर वाटर लैवल को ऊंचा ला सके। वाटरशैड के प्रोग्राम को भी देखना चाहिए। इसके साथ-साथ राष्ट्रीय कृषि आयोग और राष्ट्रीय कृषि मूल्य आयोग को भी प्रेरणा दी जानी चाहिए, उसे सुद्ृढ़ बनाया जाना चाहिए। समय पर किसानों के लिए सपोर्टिंग प्राइस की घोषणा करें।

अंत में एक बात और कहना चाहूंगा। सबसे बड़ी बात ड्राईलैंड फार्मिंग की है। अगर इज़राइल में कम वर्षा होने के बावजूद भी वहां सालभर खेती हो सकती है हमारे यहां कम वर्षा के बावजूद किसान खेती क्यों नहीं कर सकते। आज ट्रैक्टर वगैरह आ गए तो गांव का किसान कहता है - अमरीका का ट्रैक्टर, ईरान का तेल, भारतीय किसान का इनसे क्या मेल। पहले परम्परागत खेती थी। ड्राईलैंड फार्मिंग, प्रमोशन ऑफ हार्टीकल्चर प्रोडक्ट्स को प्रोत्साहन दिया जाना चाहिए और अतरिक्त सिंचाई की सुविधाएं बढ़ाई जानी चाहिए। किसान की उपज को मार्किटिंग सपोर्ट मिलनी चाहिए। गांवों में रूरल गोडाउन्सकोल्डस्टोरेजहोने चाहिए ताकि अगर किसान का प्याज ज्यादा हो गया तो वह उसे उसमें रख सके, आलू ज्यादा हो गया तो उसे उसमें रख सके और समय आने पर उसे बेच सके। मैं समझता हूं कि इसके लिए फसल बीमा के ऊपर विशेष ध्यान दिया जाना चाहिए। किसान की स्थिति बड़ी दयनीय है। उसे दूर करने के लिए हम और आप सबको प्रयत्नशील होना होगा।

श्री सीताराम सिंह (शिवहर) : सभापति महोदय, सबस पहले मैं नायर साहब को धन्यवाद देता हूं जिन्होंने किसानों के हितों के सवाल को संकल्प के माध्यम से सदन में लाने का काम किया। सभी माननीय सदस्यों ने आंकड़े प्रस्तुत किए हैं। भारतवर्ष कृषि प्रधान देश है और किसानों की आबादी ८० प्रतिशत से भी अधिक है। किसान इस देश को भोजन देता है। देश से निर्यात न सही, आयात की जरूरत नहीं पड़ती। इतना ही नहीं, इस सदन में बैठे हुए इस पक्ष के लोग हों या उस पक्ष के लोग हों, सभी माननीय सदस्य किसानों के वोट से जीतकर आये हैं। किसान का वोट सभी लेकर आते हैं। मैं इस सदन में पहली बार चुनकर आया हूं।

इससे पहले मैं बरसों तक विधान सभा में मंत्री रहा। मगर मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि देश के सर्वोच्च सदन में भी किसान के सवाल पर कम चर्चा होती है। आज किसान के सवाल पर और उसके हित के लिए जो काम करना चाहिए, वह नहीं हो रहा है। राज्य सरकार यदि अपनी नीति बना रही है तो भारत सरकार को भी अपनी नीति बनानी चाहिए। मैं स्पष्ट कहना चाहता हूं कि किसान को डीजल महंगा मिलेगा, सरकार सबसिडी नहीं देगी। खाद महंगी मिलेगी, सरकार उस पर सबसिडी नहीं देगी। हर चीज महंगी मिलेगी, बीज महंगा मिलेगा, तो कोई सबसिडी सरकार की ओर से नहीं दी जायेगी। किसान को पानी नहीं मिलेगा तथा बिजली भी कम दरों पर और मुफ्त देने की बात हो रही है। इस देश में बहुत से राज्य ऐसे हैं जहां किसानों को बिजली बिल्कुल नहीं मिलती है। उस पर कोई नीतिगत फैसला नहीं लिया जायेगा।

मेरा कहना है कि आप किसान से बिजली की दर लीजिए बेशक आप उसे थोड़ी कम कर दीजिए। आप उन्हें मुफ्त में बिजली मत दीजिए मगर बिजली दीजिए ताकि जब चाहे वे अपने खेतों में सिंचाई कर सकें। लेकिन यह नहीं होगा, भारत सरकार की नीति स्पष्ट नहीं बनेगी। किसान का वोट लेकर हम सरकार भी बनायेंगे और विपक्ष में भी बैठेंगे और किसान को छोड़कर दुनिया की सारी चीजों पर बात करेंगे। सौभाग्य से आज मुझे इस मौके पर बोलने का मौका मिला है।

मैं सरकार को एक सुझाव देना चाहता हूं जिसकी चर्चा कई माननीय सदस्यों ने की। पहली बात तो यह है कि कुछ चीजें ऐसी हैं जिसके लिए आपको नीति बनानी पड़ेगी। सभी किसानों को बिजली देनी पड़ेगी। इसके लिए आप उनसे पैसा लीजिए क्योंकि मैं मुफ्त के पक्ष में नहीं हूं। सिंचाई के सवाल पर गांवों आदि सब जगह यह समस्या खड़ी है। किसी राज्य में पानी अधिक है तो कहीं सूखा पड़ा है। सभी राज्यों में यही स्थिति है। कोई भी राज्य ऐसा नहीं है जहां सिर्फ पानी हो या सिर्फ सूखा हो। मैं इस संबंध में बिहार की चर्चा करना मुनासिब समझता हूं। हमारे बिहार में एक तरफ पानी से सारी फसलें बर्बाद हो गयीं तो दूसरी तरफ सूखे से फसलें बर्बाद हो गयीं। वहां हाहाकार मचा हुआ है। वहां ३८ जिलों में से ११ जिले सूखा से ग्रस्त हो गये। उन जिलों में जहां बाढ़ आई थी वहां उसने फसलों को बर्बाद कर दिया। उसके बाद वहां सूखा पड़ गया। एक किसान पर दो-दो मार पड़ रही है। किसान खून-पसीना बहाकर किसी तरह अनाज पैदा करता है लेकिन बाढ़ और सूखे की वजह से उनकी सारी फसलें बर्बाद हो जाती हैं।

हमारे राज्य की समस्या तो और भी वचित्र है। वहां प्रतिवर्ष बाढ़ आती है। उत्तर बिहार में करोड़ों किसानों की फसलें बर्बाद होती हैं। इस कारण सरकार की भी काफी सम्पत्ति नष्ट होती है। मैं समझता हूं कि जब से यह देश आजाद हुआ तब से लगातार ये घटनाएं हो रही हैं। वहां बाढ़ की लीला हो रही है। मैं नहीं समझता कि राज्य सरकार के पास क्या आंकड़े हैं मगर हजारों करोड़ रुपये रिलीफ के माध्यम से आये। उन सड़कों को बनाने में हजारों करोड़ रुपये खर्च हुए। वे प्रतिवर्ष बनती हैं और बिगड़ जाती हैं। मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि कितनी सरकारें आईं और चली गयीं लेकिन किसी ने भी मुनासिब नहीं समझा कि इस बाढ़ को स्थायी ढंग से रोकने के लिए, इस इलाके के किसानों की बर्बादी और आम जनता की बर्बादी को को रोकने के लिए हमको नेपाल से बात करनी चाहिए। सारे नक्शे में यह चत्रित है। नेपाल से बात करने से उत्तर भारत की जो क्षति हो रही है, उसका स्थायी निदान मिल सकता है।

हमारे कृषि राज्य मंत्री जी यहां बैठे हुए हैं। मैं उनसे कहना चाहता हूं कि यह बिहार के लिए महत्वपूर्ण सवाल है। नेपाल के बार्डर में उत्तरी बिहार के जो इलाके हैं, आप उनमें चले जाइये--पश्चिम चम्पारण, पूर्वी चम्पारण, सीवान, सीतामढ़ी, दरभंगा, मधुबनी से लेकर पूर्णिया, अररिया आदि तमाम इलाकों में प्रतिवर्ष बाढ़ से क्षति होती है। हम लोगों ने नेपाल सरकार से बात करने के लिए आपने अनुरोध किया था। आपने इस संबंध में कुछ कदम भी उठाये। आपने वहां एक कार्यालय खोला मगर आपको नेपाल सरकार से बात करनी चाहिए। अगर ज्वाइंट प्रौजेक्ट रिपोर्ट बनानी है तो उसके लिए आप कोई रणनीति बनाकर अपने टेक्नीकल हैंड को नेपाल के टैक्नीकल हैंड से बात करने में आप शथिल हुए हैं। मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि आप किसानों की क्षति को रोकने के लिए कुछ कीजिए। आप कुछ देने नहीं जा रहे हैं, बर्बादी के लिए हर साल मुंह बाये बाढ़ की लीला है। उसको आप रोक नहीं पा रहे हैं। उसके स्थायी निदान के लिए मैं आग्रह करना चाहता हूं। अभी आपने एक दफ्तर खोलकर दो का प्रस्ताव भेजे। अभी ७-८ दफ्तर खोलने की बात है। जो भी दफ्तर खुलना है, उसे खोल दीजिए और बाढ़ को रोकने के लिए उसके स्थायी निदान के लिए आप कारगर कदम उठाइए। बिहार का किसान आंदोलन कर रहा है, उसका आंदोलन उग्र आंदोलन का रूप ले रहा है और सारी जगहों में किसान संगठित हो रहे हैं। मैं यह बात कहने में हिचकिचाता नहीं हूं कि आज भी देश के किसान संगठित नहीं हैं। अगर किसान संगठित हो जाएं तो इस पार्लियामेंट के अंदर सिर्फ किसान के सवाल ही गूजेंगे और सिर्फ किसान के कल्याण की ही बात पहले होगी। राजस्थान और उत्तर प्रदेश के माननीय सदस्य बोलकर चले गये। अगर इस सदन के बाहर मेरी आवाज जा सकती तो भी मैं हिन्दुस्तान के किसानों को कहना चाहता हूं कि उन्हें आज संगठित होना चाहिए। आज समय रहते इसके लिए नीति बनानी चाहिए। बिहार में बाढ़ को रोकने के लिए कोई स्थायी निदान करिये।

दूसरे, सिंचाई का सवाल है। आज कई जगहों पर सरकारें सक्षम नहीं हैं। भारत सरकार को संसाधन देना पड़ेगा। हम चाहते हैं कि आप राज्य सरकार से रिपोर्ट लीजिए। उनसे विचार-विमर्श कीजिए और जो संसाधन उनके पास नहीं हैं, अच्छे ढंग से प्रोजेक्ट बनाकर सिंचाई की पर्याप्त सुविधाएं उनको उपलब्ध कराइए। हमारे बिहार में सिंचाई की सुविधाएं आसानी से उपलब्ध हो सकती हैं। नीतियां भी हैं। सारी चीजें हैं लेकिन बाढ़ का स्थायी निदान होना चाहिए और सिंचाई की पर्याप्त व्यवस्था होनी चाहिए। आज यह स्थिति है कि हमारा बिहार राज्य बंटने के बाद तो बिल्कुल बर्बाद हो गया है। हमारे पास कोई संसाधन नहीं हैं। हमारे पास कृषि योग्य इतनी अच्छी भूमि है कि हमारे यहां बहुत अच्छी फसल हो सकती है और हमारे बिहार को कृषि उद्योग का दर्जा दिया जा सकता है तथा हम पर्याप्त अनाज पैदा करेंगे। हम गन्ना भी पैदा करते हैं।

बिहार की सारी मिलें बंद हैं। भारत सरकार उनकी तरफ कोई ध्यान नहीं दे रही है। कृषि का हमें लाभकारी मूल्य मिलना चाहिए। उसके बाद भी भारत सरकार गन्ने का मूल्य तय करती है, चीनी मिलें जो चलाते हैं, चीनी की कीमत बढ़ी है, आपको ज्यादा अनुपात में हमारा मूल्य भी तय करना चाहिए।

सभापति महोदय : अब समाप्त करिए। अब आप अंतिम सुझाव दीजिए।

श्री सीताराम सिंह : अफसोस की बात है कि आज पहली बार मुझे अपनी बात कहने का मौका मिला है लेकिन समय कम है। मैं दो मिनट में अपनी बात समाप्त करूंगा।

आज बिहार में चीनी मिलें बंद हैं। किसान के हित में उनका खुलना बहुत जरूरी है और दूसरा सुझाव हमारा यह है कि जब भी गन्ने का मूल्य तय करें तो यह बात नजर में रखें कि मिल-मालिकों के साथ जब आप मूल्य तय करते हैं और चीनी की कीमत तय कर रहे हैं तो उसी अनुपात में हमारा मूल्य भी तय कीजिए क्योंकि गन्ने से ही तो उनकी चीनी बनी है। इसलिए उसी हिसाब से हमें कीमत भी मिलनी चाहिए। उसी हिसाब से लाभकारी मूल्य मिलना चाहिए।

मैं अपने दो-तीन सुझाव दे रहा हूं। पहली बात तो मैंने लाभकारी मूल्य के बारे में कह दिया है कि किसानों को लाभकारी मूल्य मिलना चाहिए। दूसरे, बाढ़ को रोकने का कोई स्थायी निदान किया जाना चाहिए। तीसरा सुझाव है कि खाद पर सब्सिडी बढ़ाइए। किसान को खाद देने में सब्सिडी जरूर दीजिए। उसके बाद विशेष रूप से कम दरों पर किसानों को बिजली उपलब्ध कराएं। तीसरे, हमारा कहना है कि जब किसान को ऋण देते हैं तो मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि जब उसकी फसल हुई नहीं तो वह ऋण कहां से देगा? सीधी सी बात है कि यदि उनके ऋण माफ नहीं करिए तो ऋण चुकाने का समय बढ़ाइए। जितने दिन वह फसल पैदा नहीं करता, उसका सूद कम कीजिए। जब आप बैंकों से लोन दिलवा रहे हैं, ऋण पर सूद की दर विशेष रूप से किसान के लिए कम होनी चाहिए।

एक और बात मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि बैंक इंडस्ट्री को तथा इंडस्टि्रयलिस्ट को तो पूरा पैसा देते हैं लेकिन किसानों को दस हजार रुपया भी पूरा नहीं दिया जाता है। इस व्यवस्था को दुरुस्त करिए और किसान को ज्यादा पैसा दिलवाइए। उसको पैसा समय से, उसकी खेती से पहले दिलवाइए। हमारे गांव के जो लोग हैं, हम सभी चीजों को देख रहे हैं, मैं यह बताना चाहता हूं कि फसल बीमा के बारे में सरकार की नीति उचित नहीं है। जब हमारी सारी फसल बर्बाद हो गई और बीमा नहीं मिल रहा है तो इस पर भारत सरकार को अपनी नीति स्पष्ट करनी चाहिए और फसल बीमा किसानों को देना चाहिए।

अंत में, मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि बिहार के लिए बाढ़ के स्थायी निदान के लिए विशेष पैकेज दिया जाए ताकि किसानों को राहत मिले और बिहार को स्पेशल पैकेज दिया जाए। कृषि पर आधारित जो हमारे केले की फसल है और भी हमारी कई फसलें हैं जिन पर हम सामंजस्य बैठा सकते हैं, वह सामंजस्य हमें बिठाना चाहिए।

आपने मुझे बोलने का मौका दिया, इसके लिए मैं आपको धन्यवाद देता हूं।

PROF. M. RAMADASS (PONDICHERRY): Hon. Chairman, Sir, I rise to support and endorse the Resolution moved by Shri P.K. Vasudevan Nair. The Resolution symbolises the soul of the Indian farmers. It is fitting that a person, who has toiled and moiled for the betterment of the downtrodden people of this country, has moved this Resolution.

The suicides of the farmers, the continued miseries and the pauperization of the Indian farmers are the concomitant result of our agricultural development in the last 53 years. It only reflects the deep-rooted malaise in which the Indian agriculturists are trapped today. The earlier speakers have dwelt at length the causes for this malaise and malady. I am not going into them, but I would like to stress the period in which these suicides were predominant and prevalent.

According to the statistics given by the Parliament Library from 1.4.1999 to 2003, there were a total number of suicides to the extent of 866. I do not know whether there is a co-relation between that period and the number of suicides because that was the period of economic reforms, and that was more particularly the period of the so-called second generation economic reforms in this country. I do not say that during that period the BJP was in power. That is not my intention, but I only wish to drive home the point that the second generation reforms were responsible for the Indian farmers to commit suicide. There seems to be a grain of truth in that feeling also because with the economic reforms and the openness to trade, the marginalisation of agriculture has taken place in a larger measure in this country. It is because one of the components of the economic reforms was to concentrate more on industry, trade, service sector and commercial sector. We have given the least priority to agriculture hoping that nature will take care of agriculture. You have allowed the exports and imports to be swayed by the whims and fancies of the WTO which could not enact the provision of subsidies, and the developed countries were able to malign the subsidies in the form of green box subsidies and blue box subsidies. Therefore, all these culminated into a crisis as he has rightly said. This crisis has to be probed from the long-term perspective as well as the short-term perspective.

There is no time. I know that. You will not give me the time to deal with it. But I think you would not be unfair as you were yesterday, but you would compensate this by giving me some more time today. You had told us to take seven minutes. I would take, at least, 10 minutes’ time because we have a package to be given to the Government to rescue the backbone of this country. We are speaking on behalf of the farmers of this country who are supporting, who are sustaining the Indian economy today.

Now, coming to the long-term aspects, the Government should seriously think of a land use planning, a regional level planning and also a crop planning taking into account the diversities of agricultural conditions and seasonal conditions. This is one thing which is lacking, which is permanently affecting the sustained agricultural growth in this country. Radical land reforms, as Mr. Vasudevan Nair said, motivation of farmers to take up commercial farming, provision of agricultural inputs to the farmers and concentration on dry land farming over a period of time would enable the farmers to come out of the cobwebs of the vicious circle of poverty and unemployment in which they are caught today.

Now, coming to the very pertinent question of suicides, according to the data, from 1999 to 2003, 866 families have been ruined.

What rehabilitation measures are we thinking of? I feel, the Government of India should emulate the model of Andhra Pradesh and try to give a compensation package of Rs. 2 lakh to every family which has been driven to the level of suicide.

Secondly, each family must be assured of a breadwinner. Suppose a farmer has committed suicide in a particular family, it loses the breadwinner. So, we should provide a job to that family. If his son or daughter is an educated person and qualified for a job, he or she should be given a job at the local level, the State level or at the Central level so that the family gets a breadwinner. If nothing is possible, we should be able to cover that family under the Employment Guarantee Scheme, which the Government of India is now implementing in 150 districts. I would request the Government to implement it in other districts where suicides have been committed. Concessional loans should also be given to these people.

Coming to the other question of debt redemption, I feel that the Government of India should come out with a radical proposal of writing off of all the debts of those farmers who are not below the poverty line but below the ultra poverty line. I think, now, the Government must be knowing the distinction between poverty line and ultra poverty line. The people who are in the destitution line are called as people below ultra poverty line. They should be given the benefit of waiver of loans.

An hon. Member who spoke earlier said that the NPAs of the industrial and commercial sector to the tune of thousands and thousands of crores of rupees have been written off. Therefore, we should be able to estimate it and do it in the case of agricultural workers also. We should be able to cover all the dues of farmers who are in debt. There should be rescheduling of loans from three years to five years. The short-term loans should be converted into medium-term loans; and medium-term loans should be converted into long-term loans. The interest commitments of all the farmers who are indebted must be written off, lock, stock and barrel. We should not charge any penal interest from these farmers.

The last word is about the additional measures which the Government of India would have to take. Coming to the scheme of agricultural insurance, a large number of farmers have paid the first and second instalments of premium but because of natural calamities or some other reasons they were not able to pay the third instalment. As a result of this, a number of policies have lapsed. It is estimated that an amount of Rs. 1,000 crore of the farmers are lying with the LIC because they were not able to pay the last instalment. Therefore, the Government of India and the State Governments must have a discussion with LIC and see that some kind of an arrangement is made to repay the amount to the farmers. The Government of India should also take steps to provide free power to farmers. They should also be given remunerative prices, as I have stated earlier.

The hon. Minister of Finance has assured of a credit to the extent of Rs. 1,05,000 crore. It is a big talk and all of us enjoyed it but where is the equity? What is the equity in the distribution of the loan? It has to be timely, adequate, and at a cheaper rate of interest.

We should be able to implement the Minimum Wages Act in all parts of the country assiduously. Any lapse in the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act should be viewed seriously. I urge upon the Government that we have to implement it throughout the country. Otherwise, the country would be flooded with a large number of problems which we would not be able to face in the future. Therefore, serious attention must be paid to these problems and long-term, short-term and most short-term measures must be taken to relieve the distress of the farmers who constitute the backbone of this country.

SHRIMATI C.S. SUJATHA (MAVELIKARA): Thank you, Sir. I support the Resolution moved by Mr. P.K. Vasudevan Nariji. This is to bring to the attention of the Government a very serious problem confronting the agriculturists of Kerala for the last several years. Agriculture was once a means of livelihood for the farmers who dedicated their life and blood to cultivate their fields and land and make a life of their own. But the life of the agriculturists and agricultural workers has become so alarmingly difficult that they have begun to run away from their traditional jobs. If the present situation continues for another ten years, there shall not be any agriculturist or agricultural worker. The Governments, both at the Centre and in the State, turn a deaf ear to the crisis of the poor farmers.

Some of them end their lives as they are not in a position to repay the loans that they have taken from the banks. Kuttanad in Alappuzha district and Palakkad are said to be the `rice bowls’ of Kerala. Paddy cultivators of Kuttanad have begun to give up their farming simply because they are subjected to great harassment by the Government and the nature as well. Flow of saline water into the paddy fields destroys the plants and this menace has to be tackled by repairing of the shutters of Thottappally spillway in Alappuzha district. The Government is not seriously handling this grave situation. There are two crops in Kuttanad paddy fields, but both the crops are left at the mercy of nature. Twenty-two per cent of the paddy was produced at Kuttanad to feed the people of Kerala. But this percentage diminishes every year and in the near future there shall not be any paddy cultivation. The proposed project `Vypar-Link Project’ if implemented will sound the death knell of various agricultural areas of Southern Kerala, particularly Kuttanad and Kumarakom. So, I request the authorities concerned to desist from such ill-conceived ideas. If the Central Government do not bestow their earnest calculated efforts to revive paddy cultivation by enhancing subsidies and other kinds of assistance, the situation will become very grave. This kind of situation prevails in other parts of the State and the country as a whole. So, in order to save the farmers from this crisis, the Central Government should evolve concrete plans and developmental activities.

श्री भँवर सिंह डांगावास (नागौर) : सभापति जी, मैं श्री वासुदेवन नायर जी के संकल्प की पुष्टि में अपने विचार पेश करने के लिए खड़ा हुआ हूं। भारत कृषि प्रधान देश है और इसकी आर्थिक स्थिति हमेशा कृषि पर निर्भर रहती है और कृषि सबसे बड़ा रोजगार देने वाला व्यवसाय है। लेकिन यह लाभप्रद न होकर एक अलाभप्रद व्यवसाय है। काश्तकार की मजबूरी है कि उसके पास कोई दूसरा रोजगार नहीं है, इसलिए उसे अपने जीवनयापन के लिए कृषि का सहारा लेना पड़ता है। कृषि इसलिए अलाभप्रद है क्योंकि इसमें जितने भी इनपुट्स हैं, जिनसे फसल पैदा होती है, वे महंगे हैं और जो उपज बाजार में बिकती है उसके दाम उसे कम मिलते हैं। इसलिए सरकार को समर्थन मूल्य ठीक देना चाहिए। जो सूचकांक मूल्य आप उपभोक्ता के लिए रखते हैं, उसके बढ़ने के साथ ही काश्तकार की फसल की कीमत भी बढ़नी चाहिए। सबसे ज्यादा दु:ख इस बात का है कि भारत जब से आजाद हुआ है हर वर्ष कहीं अकाल पड़ता है तो कहीं बाढ़ आती है। पिछली एनडीए की सरकार ने इसका समाधान ढूंढने की चेष्टा की, नदियों को जोड़ने की चेष्टा की। नदियों को जोड़ने से किसान की हालत सुखद हो जाएगी। न बाढ़ आयेगी, न सूखा पड़ेगा और उस पानी से किसान को लाभप्रद कृषि मिल सकेगी।

कीमत कम देने का एक कारण रहता है कि हम जो फसल पैदा करते हैं, उसमें बदलाव लाएं। जैसे हमने ऑयल-सीड पैदा किया तो सरकार क्या करती है कि तेल बाहर से मंगा लेती है और हमारा बीज यहां सस्ता बिकता है, ऑयल सस्ता बिकता है। इसी तरह से अन्य चीजों का आयात होने के कारण भी हमें फसल अच्छी नहीं मिलती है और उसके दाम अच्छे नहीं मिलते हैं। कर्जा न चुकाने के कारण किसान तंग आ जाता है और उसे आत्महत्या करनी पड़ती है। इसका उपाय यह है कि हम तीन चीजें करें - समर्थन मूल्य बढ़ाया जाए, पूरी फसल का बीमा कराया जाए। कई जगह बीमा तहसील स्तर पर किया जा रहा है और तहसील को यूनिट मान कर किया जा रहा है जबकि हर खेत को यूनिट मान कर बीमा करना चाहिए। पूरी फसलों का बीमा करना चाहिए।

हमारी ताजा मांग यह है कि पंजाब से ५.६ एमएएफ पानी नहीं दिया जा रहा है। वह राजस्थान नहर को दिया जाए ताकि किसानों का आन्दोलन खत्म हो। किसानों को सहूलियतें मिलें। मैंने किसानों के हित की जो बातें कही हैं, सरकार उन बातों पर गौर करे।

SHRI P.C. THOMAS (MUVATTUPUZHA): Sir, at the outset I thank and congratulate hon. Shri P.K. Vasudevan Nair, who is a mammeted personality who had been the Chief Minister of Kerala and who also had wide experience in political as well as social life. Now he has had the opportunity to express his full and emotional feelings about the farmers and the toiling masses.

This issue is a wide issue. We cannot discuss it in a very short time. I would like to limit myself to some of the salient issues of our State, Kerala. At the outset, whenever discussions with regard to agriculture take place, Kerala is always at a loss because the major crops in Kerala are cash crops. Of course, we have paddy and we have some other crops, foodgrains also. But it is a major State producing rubber, coffee, tea, spices, vanila and so many crops which come under Ministry of Commerce. The hon. Minister of Commerce does not come. The Ministry does not involve at all in any discussion which takes place with regard to agriculture. This State of Kerala is probably the only State which is totally at a blank with regard to this aspect.

For example, take the price of rubber which went steeply down.

MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri Thomas, please wait for a minute.

Hon. Members, the time allotted for discussion of this Resolution is over. There are five more speakers to speak on the Resolution. If the House agrees, the time for discussion on the Resolution may be increased by one hour.

SEVERAL HON. MEMBERS : Yes.

प्रो. रासा सिंह रावत : सभापति महोदय, इस संकल्प पर चर्चा के लिए समय बढ़ा दिया जाए।

सभापति महोदय: सभी माननीय सदस्य इसके लिए सहमत हैं, इसलिए एक घंटा समय बढ़ाया जाता है।

Shri Thomas, please continue.

   

SHRI P.C. THOMAS : Sir, The price of rubber which was Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 per kilo, came down steeply to Rs. 20 to Rs. 22. There was no go because the cost of production itself was more than Rs. 30 to Rs. 35 and, therefore, we insisted and the NDA Government had done something in this regard and a subsidy was given. The subsidy for export was given and on that basis the extra production in our country was sent out to other countries, by purely giving a subsidy. This is something which can be given. The NDA Government has proved that it can be given. The WTO is not against that. If the WTO is not against France and some countries giving subsidy of this nature, then why not for Indian cultivators?

If this could be done for rubber, why it could not be done for tea for which price is so low? The plantation workers are in real difficulties. The farmers, especially the small farmers are in great difficulties.

The price of pepper has come down to as low as Rs. 50 a kilo which was about Rs. 200 earlier. How can the farmers sustain? This is something which is being exported. India has exported pepper to the tune of 21,609 quintals in 2002-2003 and earned about Rs. 178 crore. We are producing best pepper. That is also coming down because the production itself has gone down.

So, we must encourage the farmers by giving some subsidy. This can be done. It has been proved. Then, why do we not do it? Though the present Government has withdrawn the subsidy with regard to rubber, I think, this is something which can be taken up by the Government. I hope, the Agriculture Minister will take up this matter of subsidy for exports before the Commerce Ministry and also the Finance Ministry. Of course, involving the Agriculture Ministry, something could be done.

Sir, the other aspect of import of some of the goods, especially the agricultural goods produced in Sri Lanka, has caused a great concern. I think, that is also something on which the Government should do something immediately; otherwise, the import for zero duty on various types of agriculture produces like tea, coffee etc. is pouring down to India. For cardamom, the Spices Board has made a new recommendation. The Spices Board has made a recommendation. I do not know whether the Boards are making such recommendations now-a-days. This is an official document and there, the proposal for fixing of import duty on cardamom is stated. We are producing the best cardamom in the world and we have got exports also. But import is coming from Guatemala where a large amount of low quality cardamom is being produced. The Cardamom Board has now made a proposal to the Government of India. It says:

"We propose that the import duty on cardamom be fixed on per kilogram basis instead of the prevailing 70 per cent import duty on the import value. It is suggested that the duty be fixed at 70 per cent of the average auction price during the current season, which is Rs. 327."

 

 It is given on the basis of the auction. Suppose, the auction price today is Rs. 500. It may crash down to Rs. 100 or Rs. 200 also. It may go up to Rs. 600 or Rs. 700 sometimes, but it crashes generally. So, the whole cardamom is lost and our cultivators are in real doldrums. So, this principle may be accepted. Though I do not agree with the quantum stated because the quantum is too low, but the principle of fixing of import duty on the basis of the price prevalent in India, which the farmer gets, is something, which we have to think of. I have spoken this about cardamom only, but this is something which we can think of in the cases of other produces also.

We are a federal country. Federalism is stated in our Constitution, but I think, we have to insist on more of federalism because if by one natural calamity one acre is flowed off from Kerala, the amount of loss which is sustained by that State or the farmer is so high because cash crops are produced there. Due to the nature of the crops, because of the houses, because of the village system so much of difference is there from one State to the other State. So, I think, when we think of federalism, the planning and implementation on the basis of difference on account of geography as well as other aspects of each State, each area or ground realities of each area must be considered. This is something which the Government of India should do.

Take the example of Crop insurance. Crop insurance is available for many crops, but not for many of the crops, which Kerala is having. Since there is no crop insurance, if one rubber tree is gone, the compensation which is obtained is very low. Maybe, it is Rs. 100 whereas the farmer loses Rs. 20,000 or even much more. So, crop insurance is something which has to be given for other crops also.

I finish my speech because of the paucity of time.

श्री रामदास आठवले (पंढरपुर) : सभापति महोदय, श्री पी.के. वासुदेवन नायर ने जो संकल्प प्रस्तुत किया है, मैं उसका समर्थन करता हूं।

सभापति महोदय, हमारे देश के जो किसान, खेतिहर मजदूर हैं, उनकी जो समस्यायें हैं, उनका हल न होने पर वे बेरोजगारी की समस्या से ग्रस्त रहते हैं और उन्हें भुखमरी का सामना भी करना पड़ता है। किसान को जो लोन मिलता है, वह उसे समय पर नहीं मिलता। इस वजह से उसकी उपज कम होती है और वह आत्महत्या कर लेता है…( व्यवधान)

सभापति महोदय : आठवले जी, आप तो सरस भाषा में सुझाव दे सकते हैं।

श्री रामदास आठवले : सभापति जी, मैं सुझाव ही दे रहा हूं। किसानों की समस्याओं को हल करने के लिये हम यहां कई बार चर्चा कर चुके हैं। आज केन्द्र में यू.पी.ए. की सरकार आई है। जब उनकी सरकार थी, तब हम बड़ी-बड़ी बातें करते थे। अभी हमें थोड़ी छोटी-छोटी बातें करनी पड़ती हैं। लेकिन हमें किसानों की समस्याओं की तरफ ध्यान देना चाहिए। इस संबंध में मेरी सरकार से मांग है कि जो आत्महत्या करने वाले किसान हैं, उनके परिवारों को कम से कम पांच लाख रूपये मुआवजा सरकार की तरफ से मिलना चाहिए। इसलिए इसका प्रावधान सरकार को करने की आवश्यकता है।

सभापति जी, भारतवर्ष में सिंचाई की व्यवस्था अच्छी है। लेकिन इसके साथ ही हमारे देश में नॉन-इरिगेटिड लैंड भी बहुत ज्यादा है। इस नॉन-इरिगेटिड लैंड को इरिगेटिड करने के लिए नदियों को जोड़ने का जो प्रोग्राम है, उस प्रोग्राम को गंभीरता से सरकार को अपने हाथ में लेने की आवश्यकता है।

हमने मांग की थी कि हमारे मुम्बई और कोंकण में अरेबियन-सी का सी-शोर है। वहां बारिश बहुत ज्यादा होती है। लेकिन सारा पानी समुद्र में चला जाता है। उस पानी को यदि हम रोक लेते हैं तो महाराष्ट्र में जो वैस्टर्न महाराष्ट्र, मराठवाड़ा और विदर्भ जैसे पानी की कमी वाले एरियाज हैं, वहां इस पानी का बहुत अच्छा उपयोग हो सकता है। इसलिए मेरी भारत सरकार से मांग है कि बारिश का जो पानी सी शोर से समुद्र में चला जाता है, उस पानी को रोककर सीमा बनाने की आवश्यकता है। इसके लिए कम से कम २५ हजार करोड़ रुपये का प्रावधान भारत सरकार को करना चाहिए। श्री कांतिलाल भूरिया जी हमें मुम्बई सी शोर पर इस प्रोजैक्ट के विकास के लिए २५ हजार करोड़ रुपये की आवश्यकता है। इसलिए मेरा सुझाव है कि सरकार इस पर गंभीरता से ध्यान दे।

दूसरी तरफ किसानों को जो कर्जा मिलता है, उसका इंटरेस्ट रेट कम होना चाहिए। वह इंटरेस्ट रेट २-३ परसेन्ट होना चाहिए तथा कर्जे के रीपेमेन्ट का समय भी बढ़ाने की आवश्यकता है। इसके अलावा जहां-जहां बाढ़ का पानी होता है, इस बाढ़ के पानी से किसानों को कोई नुकसान न हो, फसल का भी कोई नुकसान न हो। इसलिए जहां ज्यादा बाढ़ आती हैं, जहां ज्यादा बारिश होती है, जैसे कि बिहार में बहुत ज्यादा बाढ़ आती है। मेरा सरकार से निवेदन है कि ऐसी प्लानिंग की जाए कि जहां सूखे के इलाके हैं, जैसे उत्तर प्रदेश और वैस्ट बंगाल का इलाका है, इस पानी को इन प्रदेशों में ले जाए जाने की व्यवस्था सरकार को करने की आवश्यकता है।

सभापति महोदय, जो लैंडलैस लेबरर्स हैं, उनके लिए मेरा सुझाव है कि महंगाई के सूचकांक के मुताबिक आज कम से कम एक लेबर को दो सौ रुपये प्रतदिन मिलने चाहिए। लेकिन दो सौ रुपये प्रतदिन किसी लेबर को कोई किसान नहीं दे सकता है। इसलिए मेरा सुझाव है कि जो मनिमम वेज है, उसमें से अगर २०० रुपये प्रति मजदूर को देने हैं तो २५ परसेन्ट पैसा भारत सरकार दे, २५ परसेन्ट पैसा राज्य सरकार दे तथा ५० परसेन्ट पैसा किसान देगा। इसके बारे में भी हमें स्कीम बनाने की आवश्यकता है। इसके अलावा जहां तक खेत मजदूर का सवाल है, यदि उन्हें गरीबी की रेखा से ऊपर उठाना है। खेत पर काम करने वाले मजदूरों को अपने पैरों पर खड़ा करना है तो सरकार के पास जो सरप्लस लैंड है, उसमें फॉरेस्ट डिपार्टमैन्ट की लैंड भी है और एग्रीकल्चर लैंड भी है, उस जमीन में हर लैंडलैस लेबर को कम से कम पांच एकड़ जमीन मिलनी चाहिए। इस तरह का एक प्रोग्राम सरकार को अपने हाथ में लेना चाहिए।

सभापति महोदय, कुछ वर्ष पहले महाराष्ट्र में बहुत भारी सूखा पड़ा था। जब एन.डी.ए. की सरकार थी तो श्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी मेरे संसदीय क्षेत्र पंढरपुर में आये थे। वहां हम लोग दो-तीन साल से मांग कर रहे थे कि हमें १७०० करोड़ रुपया दिया जाए। अटल जी ने ५० करोड़ रुपये का अनाउंसमैन्ट कर दिया। लेकिन अभी यू.पी.ए. की सरकार आने के बाद ५०० करोड़ रुपये महाराष्ट्र को दिये गये हैं। लेकिन सूखे का सामना करने के लिए भारत सरकार को पचास हजार करोड़ रुपये देने चाहिए। उसमें से १५० करोड़ रुपये हम छोड़ने के लिए तैयार हैं। लेकिन एक हजार करोड़ रुपये महाराष्ट्र को देने की आवश्यकता है। श्री शरद पवार जी एग्रीकल्चर मनिस्टर हैं। श्री कांतिलाल भूरिया जी भी हमारे अच्छे मित्र हैं। मैं आपसे निवेदन करता हूं कि ये सब प्रावधान आपको करने की आवश्यकता है।

महाराष्ट्र में सिक शुगर इंडस्ट्रीज बहुत ज्यादा हैं। महाराष्ट्र राज्य शुगर की बहुत बड़ी स्टेट है।

वहां शुगरकेन का उत्पादन बहुत अच्छा होता है। शुगर इंडस्ट्रीज़ को भी आर्थिक मदद देने के बारे में हमारी सरकार को विचार करने की आवश्यकता है। मैं समझता हूँ कि इन सुझावों पर सरकार विचार करेगी और अगर हम किसानों को मजबूत नहीं करेंगे तो देश भी मजबूत नहीं होगा। इसलिए किसानों को मजबूत करना चाहिए और खेती पर काम करने वाले खेत मजदूरों को भी मजबूत करने की आवश्यकता है। आज बेरोज़गारी बढ़ती जा रही है। इसके लिए ग्रामीण उद्योगों को बढ़ाया जाना चाहिए। आपके पास एनसीडीसी है। उसके पास कर्ज़े के लिए प्रपोज़ल आते हैं मगर बहुत कम प्रपोजल ही मंजूर हो पाते हैं। लोगों को तकलीफ सहनी पड़ती है। मैं कहना चाहता हूँ कि एनसीडीसी से सही लोन मिलना चाहिए और उसके लिए सरकार को विचार करने की आवश्यकता है। किसानों को सहायता देने की जिम्मेदारी यूपीए सरकार की है। कौमन मनिमम प्रोग्राम में भी हमने किसानों को मदद देने के लिए आश्वस्त किया है मगर असल में वह पैसा और मदद उनको मिले, इसके लिए भी सरकार को काम करना चाहिए।

अंत में मैं इस संकल्प का समर्थन करता हूँ और आशा करता हूँ कि इस देश के किसानों को न्याय मिलेगा। वह दिन जल्दी आना चाहिए जिस दिन एक भी किसान आत्महत्या नहीं करेगा। इस तरह की स्थिति हम पांच साल में पैदा करेंगे और एनडीए का सहयोग भी हमें इसके लिए चाहिए। इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं आपका धन्यवाद करता हूँ कि आपने मुझे बोलने का समय दिया।

डॉ. रामकृष्ण कुसमरिया (खजुराहो) : सभापति जी, एक बड़ा ही संवेदनशील मुद्दा माननीय नायर जी ने सदन में उठाया है जिसके लिए मैं उनका धन्यवाद करता हूँ। वास्तव में किसान के लिए हम अनेक विशेषण उपयोग करते हैं, जैसे किसान को अन्नदाता कहते हैं, भगवान कहते हैं, पालनकर्ता कहते हैं, लेकिन वास्तव में उसके साथ न्याय नहीं होता है। मेरे ख्याल से लोक सभा में ६० प्रतिशत से ज्यादा किसान लोग चुनकर आते हैं लेकिन अपनी पार्टियों की मजबूरी में बँधकर उनके हित की बात करने में संकोच करते हैं।

मान्यवर, मैं चाहता हूँ कि लोक सभा में किसानों का एक सैल बनना चाहिए जो किसानों की समस्याओं पर विचार करे। जैसे चैम्बर ऑफ कामर्स है और अनेक प्रकार के अपने-अपने प्रकल्प हैं, लेकिन किसानों का कोई सैल लोक सभा के भीतर नहीं है। इसलिए इसका गठन करें और ईमानदारी के साथ किसान की स्थिति पर उसमें विचार होना चाहिए। अगर ऐसा हुआ तो आज देश में जो बेरोज़गारी है और देश की आर्थिक स्थिति बिगड़ रही है, इन सारी समस्याओं का हल खुद निकल सकता है। हिन्दुस्तान की सबसे बड़ी इंडस्ट्री और रोज़गार देने वाली इंडस्ट्री खेती है लेकिन उसके साथ न्याय नहीं हो रहा है। माननीय नायर जी ने इस मामले को उठाया कि जो किसान सबका पालन करते हैं, वह आत्महत्या करने को मजबूर हैं। उनका व्यवस्थापन होना चाहिए, उनके लिए मदद होनी चाहिए।

महोदय, किसान के सामने दो प्रकार से समस्या आती है। एक उस पर आसमानी विपत्ति आती है और दूसरी सुलतानी। आसमानी विपत्ति वह है कि ओला पड़ गया, पानी गिर गया, बाढ़ आ गई। इन सबके कारण किसान कितनी अच्छी पैदावार करे, कितनी अच्छी फसल लगाए, कितने भी अच्छे इनपुट्स लगाए, कितनी खाद लगाए, कितना पानी दे, लेकिन अगर ओला पड़ गया तो सारी फसल नष्ट हो जाएगी और उसकी सारी टैक्नोलाजी फेल हो जाएगी। इसलिए ऐसे मौके पर बाढ़, सुखाड़ और नैचुरल कैलेमिटीज़ से निपटने के लिए हमें दूरदर्शितापूर्ण कार्रवाई करनी चाहिए। जैसे अटल जी ने सारी नदियों को जोड़ने का प्रस्ताव रखा जिससे हम बाढ़ और सुखाड़ से बचें, मैं चाहता हूँ कि आप उसको कंटीन्यू करें।

मान्यवर, सुलतानी विपत्तियों की बात मैं करूँगा। कुछ कानून ऐसे हैं जिससे हमारे किसान परेशान होते हैं। हमारे पूर्ववक्ता कह रहे थे कि बीमा तो किसानों ने कर दिया, उसका प्रीमियम भी जमा कर दिया, लेकिन फसल खराब हो गई तो एक किश्त जमा न होने के कारण उसको बीमा नहीं मिल पा रहा है। यह तो खुली लूट है। कुछ-कुछ वादा करके और सपने दिखाकर उनसे पैसा भी खींच लिया और उनको बीमा नहीं दे रहे हैं। मैं चाहूँगा कि केन्द्र सरकार और प्रदेश सरकारें बीमा कंपनियों से बात करें और किसानों को उनका पैसा वापस लौटाएं। इसी तरह से आपको मालूम है कि क्रैडिट कार्ड स्कीम में एनडीए सरकार ने कर्ज पर ब्याज की दर को कम कर दिया था। उसको ९ प्रतिशत कर दिया था जबकि १४ प्रतिशत और १८ प्रतिशत है। कोआपरेटिव सैक्टर में आज भी ब्याज कम नहीं हुआ है। आज भी किसानों के क्रैडिट कार्ड नहीं बन रहे हैं।

महोदय, यह देखने वाली स्थिति है। हाल ही में रिजर्व बैंक द्वारा ब्याज दर की सीमा में कटौती करके उसे ७.३० प्रतिशत किया गया है, आप उसे लागू कीजिए। आप उसे एग्जीक्यूट नहीं कर पा रहे हैं। यदि आप उसे लागू करेंगे, तो किसानों को अपने खेतों में पैदा की जाने वाली चीजें कम मूल्य में उपजाने की सुविधा मिलेगी। इससे किसानों का लागत मूल्य कम होगा और उसका भार कम होगा। यह कदम किसान के लिए लाभकारी साबित होगा। आप इसे लागू करिए।

महोदय, दूसरी बात मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में एन.डी.ए. सरकार ने शीतगृह बनाने का एक महत्वपूर्ण कार्यक्रम प्रारम्भ किया था, उसे आपने बन्द कर दिया है। उस कार्यक्रम के अन्तर्गत ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में शीतगृहों का निर्माण किया जा रहा था जहां किसानों को अपनी जल्दी सड़ने-गलने वाली वस्तुओं को शीतगृह में रखने की सुविधा मिल रही थी। वे अपनी वस्तुओं को शीतगृहों में रखकर, जब उनकी वस्तुओं का अच्छा बाजार भाव मिलता, तब बेच देने की सुविधा का लाभ उठा रहे थे, लेकिन आपने उस कार्यक्रम को बन्द कर दिया। किसानों को अपनी उपज के भंडारण की व्यवस्था ग्रामों में ही मिले, इसके लिए आप उस कार्यक्रम को चालू रखिए।

महोदय, मैं एक बात और कहना चाहता हूं कि मध्य प्रदेश से तो माननीय मंत्री स्वयं परचित हैं। मध्य प्रदेश के हिस्से की पूरी बिजली उसे नहीं दी जा रही जिससे मध्य प्रदेश का किसान बहुत परेशान है। एक तो हमारे यहां टीकमगढ़, छतरपुर आदि क्षेत्रों में बारिश नहीं हुई जिसके कारण सिंचाई के तालाबों में पानी इकट्ठा नहीं हो पाया और जब पानी इकट्ठा नहीं हो पाया, तो सिंचाई नहीं हो पा रही है और जिनके अपने साधन हैं, जिनके टयूबवैल हैं, वहां पानी बहुत नीचा है जिसे निकालने के लिए बिजली की आवश्यकता है, लेकिन आप बिजली भी नहीं दे रहे हैं। आपने हमारे क्षेत्र की बिजली काट दी है। जन-जन को मालूम है कि बिजली ऊपर से काटी गई है। इतना बड़ा पाप आप किसानों के साथ मत करिए।

महोदय, मैं एक और बात की ओर सरकार का ध्यान दिलाना चाहता हूं। हमारे क्षेत्र टीकमगढ़, पन्ना और दमोह में खाद की बहुत कमी है। डी.ए.पी. खाद यहां से वहां क्यों नहीं जा रही है, यह हमें पता नहीं? मेरा आपके माध्यम से सरकार से निवेदन है कि उस क्षेत्र में खाद की सप्लाई की व्यवस्था तुरन्त कराई जाए। ये बातें बहुत छोटी-छोटी हैं। इनके ऊपर आपको विचार करना पड़ेगा। इन्हीं छोटी-छोटी बातों के कारण किसान पर भार बढ़ता है, उसकी पैदावार ठीक नहीं होती है। परिणाम स्वरूप वह कर्जे में डूब जाता है।

महोदय, एक छोटी सी कहावत है- "Indian farmer is born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt."

सरकार को चाहिए कि किसानों के कामों को करे। आपको मौका मिला है। इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ सभापति जी, मैं श्री पी.के. वासुदेवन नायर जी को बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद देना चाहता हूं कि उन्होंने इस मामले को सदन में उठाकर, किसान की पीड़ा को समझने और उसे कम करने का काम किया है। मुझे बोलने का अवसर देने के लिए, सभापति जी, मैं आपको भी बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद देता हूं।

   

DR. K.S. MANOJ (ALLEPPEY): Mr. Chairman, Sir, at the outset, I must congratulate Shri P.K. Vasudevan Nair for bringing this Private Member’s Resolution on a very vital issue of farmers in this country. At the same time, the tragic situation is that when a matter which is very important to the farmers of the country is discussed, most of the Members as well as Ministers are absent from here.

18.00 hrs. I would not go into the details of various factors that lead to the said plight of the farmers. I would like to point out some of the important factors that lead to the innumerable suicides of the farmers.

Even though he had moved the Private Member"s Resolution two months back during the last Session, it is still relevant because everyday newspapers report about the suicides of farmers. They are still continuing. In spite of the various measures being taken by the Government, still farmers are committing suicides. So, we must again and again think about why these farmers are committing suicides.

There are many factors. More than 70 to 80 per cent of the India"s population is dependent on agriculture and India is an agricultural country. So, we must give prime importance to the problems of farmers. Most of the agriculture sector depends on climatic conditions, monsoon, and so on and so forth. But some of the problems are still existing, out of which, the paramount importance is the emerging new policies, as Shri Nair has correctly pointed out. He has abbreviated it as LPG - Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation. In our mother country, India, we have got a value system in which human values are given more importance. That is replaced by the new policies, that is of the global value. In that system, they are not giving attention to the problems of the vulnerable groups. So, the farmers are denied their rights. A very important factor is the attitude of the Government.

Formerly, farmers were given subsidies and extended other supportive measures. They were getting subsidies for their seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Now, all these things are withdrawn. So, this new trend is creating many problems. We are spending a lot of money for research activities. ICMR and agricultural universities are spending a lot of money for research activities, but the findings of these research activities are not reaching the farmers. We are talking of diversification of agriculture. Many researchers are there. But the finding on diversifying activities of agriculture are not actually reaching the farmers. Hence, many problems are existing. Also, the farmers are not able to control the market.

Today morning also, the hon. Finance Minister has said that when there is a demand, we have to import things from abroad. That is right. But at the same time, the right thing is to encourage production. That is not happening here. We have to encourage the production of agricultural materials whilst importing things.

One hon. Member has also pointed out about the linking of the rivers. As far as Kerala is concerned, this is detrimental to the farming condition of Kerala. When it is considered, we should think about the regional aspects - whether it is beneficial to that particular area or not.

I hereby support, Shri Vasudevan Nair. As he has pointed out, we should bring a legislation. I want to emphasise that we should bring a legislation to support the farmers. The legislation should include various aspects concerning the farmers.

MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri Shailendra Kumar - not present.

   

DR. CHINTA MOHAN (TIRUPATI): Sir, today, we are discussing about the problems of agriculture sector. I also thank Shri Vasudevan Nair who has brought this Private Members’ Resolution before the House.

When we look at the rural economy today, the picture is not very rosy, maybe because of lack of rains or lack of crops. Many factors are there. When we look at the farmer today, though he is producing his rice or wheat or anything else, he is not able to sell this directly to the Food Corporation. The Food Corporation wanted to help the farmers. But they are not able to come to their rescue because in between the miller, the middleman is coming. The advantage is not going to the farmer. The advantage is going to the middleman who is a miller and who is exploiting the interests of the farmer and getting the advantage. Hon. Minister, sitting here, can go to the farmer and purchase his yield which can go a long way in definitely helping the farmer. Unless we help the farmer, the agricultural labour cannot also get the benefit. The agricultural labourers today are not having work. Even if they work, they are not able to get more than Rs.30 per day. With this Rs.30 per day, they are not able to get more than one meal a day. This is the problem of the agricultural labour and more particularly in a drought-affected area.

I strongly believe that there is a need for an agrarian reform. We are going in for industrial reforms only. The industrial reforms alone will not have a positive result. Look at other countries like China and Japan. They went in for agrarian reforms first. After that, they have come to the industrial reforms. In our country, we are first looking up for industrial reforms. There is a definite need for agrarian reforms. We must definitely bring, if not in this Session at least in the next session, a Bill on agrarian reforms.

सभापति महोदया : श्री चिन्ता मोहन जी, आप अपना भाषण अगले प्राइवेट मैम्बर्स रेजोल्यूशन के समय जारी रखिये।

The House stands adjourned to meet on Monday, the 13th December, 2004 at 11.00 a.m. 18.08 hrs. The Lok Sabha then adjourned till Eleven of the Clock on Monday, December 13, 2004/Agrahayana 22, 1926 (Saka).

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