As the reality of suicides by farmers across the country has hit the headlines due to various reasons, farmers groups in the country have demanded a permanent sustainable package like pay commissions for the six crore farmers in the country. Farmer’s unification force across the country and food and agricultural policy analyst Devinder Sharma demanded an immediate bailout package of Rs 3 lakh crore to farmers as an emergent step to overcome the ongoing agrarian crisis. He told a group of select journalists in Bengaluru on Monday that the Government must withhold the Seventh Pay Commission until a permanent package is announced to farmers. He said, “We demand a permanent package of Rs 3 lakh crore for farmers as an emergent step in view of the agrarian crisis. We want the Government to put an hold implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for Central employees till an Income Commission is announced to help the distressed farmers”.
“Giving money in the hands of farmers is the best way to boost growth”, adding, it would have a cascading effect giving fillip to job creation and growth in industrial and other sectors.
Sharma further said implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission is expected to boost GDP by 1.9 per cent but if the same amount of Rs 3 lakh crore is funnelled into the farming community, it would boost GDP growth up to 15 per cent. According to him, the bailout should give direct income support to farmers with the money transferred into their “Jan Dhan” accounts. He said Government employees were getting 108 types of allowances, whereas just four of them including DA, HRA, education and medical allowances to farmers would bring in changes in their lives.