The flames of massive protests led by Madhya Pradesh farmers under the banner of BKS (Bhartiya Kisan Sangh) set Maharashtra ablaze. The tragic farmer protests began when five MP farmers lost their lives in a police firing this Tuesday. The deceased and their comrades were protesting against the government to meet their demands of agricultural pensions, better crop prices and loan waivers.
The flames of this protests spread out across the country, except Rajasthan, where farmers expressed faith in Raje-led BJP government. Experts predict this has something to do with Rajasthan’s outstanding agricultural productivity, which resulted from introduction of novel technologies in traditional agriculture—thanks to GRAM (global Rajasthan agritech meet) held by the Rajasthan Government.
The opposition was expecting Rajasthan farmers to raise similar protests under the banner of ‘Kisan Sangharsh Samiti’ in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh district next week. Nevertheless, many farmers walked out of this protest, expressing their belief in the current government.
It’s a known fact that every since Raje government rose to power in 2013, she has framed farmer-centric policies for the rural population. Besides resolving water scarcity issues and droughts through MJSA (Jal Swavlamban), the government offered startup loans, free medical treatment and academic scholarships through Bhamashah cards. Annapurna bhandars modernized grocery shopping in Rajasthan villages whereas Kisan Credit Cards exposed the farmers to the modern concept of ‘swapping cards’ for loans.
Through Jaipur GRAM 2016 and Kota GRAM 2017, the government introduced organic farming, mechanized agriculture, agro-processing and drip irrigation in the hopes to replace traditional farming with modern, sustainable agriculture. As a result of these efforts, Rajasthan showed commendable improvement in its agricultural productivity, compared to the previous year.
The data released by Rajasthan agriculture department shows that the state set new records in:
- Oilseed production: 63.80 LMT oilseeds produced in 2016-2017 (10% more)
- Spices: Having produced 14.2 LMT spices, Rajasthan is the largest producer of coriander, cumin, fenugreek and fennel
- Garlic & Onion: The production of garlic and onion boosted by 250% and 68% respectively in the state. Today the state produces 8.30 LMT garlic and 14.10 LMT onions.
- Fruit & Vegetable: Regardless of being a desert, the state produces 8.12 LMT fruits and 20.26 LMT vegetables. Rajasthan is the only state in India to produce its copyrighted mango variety—‘Sadabahar’ (evergreen mangoes). The centre of excellence present in Kota has developed 24 varieties of oranges, thus setting a milestone for the state!
- Food grains: Punjab and Uttar Pradesh were once known as the largest producers of good grains in North India. With advanced technologies and superior seeds, Rajasthan imposes tough challenge to these states, by producing 201.27 LMT food grains.
Besides boosting the agricultural productivity, the state is attracting investments in agro-processing and expanding its warehousing capacity to accommodate more produce. Currently, the government is offering subsidy on pearl farming, olive production, solar pump installation and poultry farming. The idea is to promote secondary sources of income for farmers.
Seeing these efforts of Rajasthan government, it isn’t surprising that farmers are siding with the government. Despite what the opposition may say, the farmers won’t be misguided by inflammatory statements and hate speeches. They’re determined to go a long way!
