The neglect of mother earth in our State is manifesting itself in different degrading aberrations. On April 10, 1921, Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “At the time of famine in Orissa, I realised the poverty of the province, but my impression has been that nowhere else were the people likely to be so poor as in Champaran. But I am afraid Orissa beats Champaran in this respect. The difference between the two is that in Champaran the ryots had been impoverished by the oppression of the indigo planters whereas in Orissa the suffering is due to wrath of Nature. Either the crops do not grow through lack of rains or there are floods following excessive rains and the crops and houses are washed off; hence, there is always a near-famine in this province. In this godforsaken region, the one real leader is Gopabandhu Das …. ”
The rotational onslaught of floods and drought causing continuous damage to the rural economy of Odisha does not seem to have undergone any substantial change over almost a century. Nature’s fury through cyclones or floods is a category apart to be tackled by suitable precaution and alert measures. When it comes to drought, the situation is always remediable, if given appropriate attention. The failure of monsoon can be taken care of by sources of supply of water through use of human ingenuity. But alas! The rural and agricultural sector continues to be neglected, damaging the food bowl. The rural economy also depends on handloom, handicrafts and other related activities. These take care of the seasonal underemployment of an agriculturist in a rural economy. This sector also remains grossly neglected. One is almost driven to believe the words of P Sainath when he says, “Everyone loves a good drought”. Is there a vested interest of any ruling class to ensure that the rural food producer remains precariously exposed to the vagaries of natureIJ
Coming to the recent events, a Central team visited Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Bargarh districts and had a field study of the drought situation in some areas. In some cases, it has been noticed that the crop loss extends to 80 per cent. It has also been found that adequate water does not reach the tail-end of the canals. Some areas are treated to be irrigated, but in reality, these so-called “irrigated” lands are affected by drought. It has to be admitted that there has been neglect of irrigation and related technology. A study of the expenditure specially undertaken during the periods of drought (or flood) would reveal that they do not relate to finding any permanent solutions through creation of social assets providing some permanent solution. They are utilised for temporary measures, euphemistically described from Colonial days as “relief” works. The Chief Minister has also reportedly informed the Central team that in more than 13 lakh hectares of land, over 33 per cent of the crops has been damaged.
Alongside, there is a statement by the concerned Minister on the floor of the Assembly that the share of Odisha in handloom and handicrafts exports of the country is around a mere one per cent. It is also admitted that during the last three years, handloom production is of the value of Rs 499 crore. The sale of such commodities produced in Odisha in other States was around Rs 24 crore. In the handicraft sector in the last three years, the gross value of goods produced in the State would be around Rs 311 crore. Out of this, the sale outside Odisha is short of Rs 14 crore.
It is apparent that there is lack of adequate and effective planning for revamping the rural economy. Unthinking and unplanned acquisition of fertile agricultural land for nonagricultural purposes has disturbed the already disoriented scenario of the agro-rural sector. Handloom and handicraft, farming and other related activities can be integrated into a wholesome package of activities. Most of the farmers are marginal and small ones. They lack adequate support of rural credit. They produce to first consume for themselves and if there be a surplus, it cannot be a substantial one leading to a proper enrichment. Even if there is a surplus, the marketing infrastructure is haphazard and neglected, leading to avoidable distress sales. The entire scenario is one of neglect and apathy as observed by Gandhiji as early as in 1921 while walking through several parts of Odisha with his friend Gopabandhu. It is time that we revisited our policies relating to the exploitation of the non-renewable resources like forests, mines, etc. with an appropriate investment in rejuvenating the renewable productive abilities of Utkal Janani. Now that the Palli Sabhas are available, micro-level planning from village/panchayat level can be undertaken to be integrated into further macro-level planning in the sector. Recent experience indicates that the Self-Help Groups at many places are informally replacing the oppressive moneylenders. Self-help has turned suicidal. The amount spent on one corporate conference would probably be enough to wipe out the rural debt of quite a few farmers. But the glitters of seven-star conference rooms and the suitable publicity are more alluring to our leaders than to be looking into the problems of the poor.
The usual propaganda of giving a fillip to the packet of incentives for Rabi crops is also a ritual, i.e., a part of the so-called natural calamities that brings easy money to the pockets of any intermediaries. The men and women tilling the soil, planting trees and plucking fruits and harvesting the crops continue to go downhill in socioeconomic terms.
There is a desperate need, therefore, of our priorities to be revisited. There is no hope of the initiatives in this direction emanating from the “establishment”. It is time persons belonging to and dependent on the rural economy organised themselves, asserted their due share and caused their condition to be altered for the better. In this, the role of the youth power (a majority of voters of today) has to play a significant role. But it appears as though by deliberate design, they are made to be disenchanted from their rural moorings and lured towards migrating to urban areas. They are a frustrated lot in the new moorings and add to the instabilities in the society. Aspirations have grown, but avenues have not adequately grown to satiate the aspirations. Frustration is an inevitable result, leading further to criminalisation, growth of slums, etc. A time has come for one and all in Odisha to put their heads together for ensuring minimisation of failure or destruction of crops and other agro-horticultural produces. let there be a restructuring of emphasis and priorities.
Once poverty is eradicated at the rural level and there is generation of income, rejuvenation of the entire economy would almost be inevitable. But we want our youth to move from the clean area of the rural atmosphere and be Khalasis in the polluted industrial zones. This is not in conformity with the concept of balance growth. But the farmer hardly has any big space in the media to express his grievances. let the agro-rural sector be in the forefront of our economy in the years to come. A clarion call in this direction should emanate from the youth power in an agro-rural sector. And this surely concerns us all!
(The writer, a Senior Advocate, is a former All India Service officer, a former diplomat, a former editor, a former President of Orissa High Court Bar Association and a former Advocate General of Odisha. jayantdas@hotmail.com)