Lack of farm reforms dismays activists

Activists from the suicide belt of Vidarbha criticised the 2013 Union Budget for ignoring interests of the drought-hit and debt-trapped farmers.

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) leader Kishor Tiwari said hopes that the budget, which is the last for the UPA before the 2014 general elections, would address farm debt, Minimum Support Price (MSP) and a transition to sustainable agriculture practices from the ‘green revolution’, has been dashed.

“Instead of providing special bailout packages and funds to encourage eco-friendly-organic farming practices, (the Budget 2013) has just quietly taken the government's agenda of promoting interests of MNCs and market speculators,” Tiwari said.

National Collateral Management Services Ltd  MD and CEO Sanjay Kaul also expressed disappointment over allocations for agriculture, terming it as “non-starter.” Kaul said  the allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for the proposed Food Security legislation is “a gross under-provision.”