This refers to the editorial, “Farmer cause real, violence political” (June 13) by Sandhya Jain. Indian agriculture is in dire need of mechanisation and modernisation to make it a self-sustaining commercial activity. It has become more of a compulsion for the farmers instead of a promising career opportunity. loan-waiver is not a permanent solution to the farmers’ agony and is a drag in the long run. It is a retrograde step in the development of the entire agricultural sector. Farmers are virtually on their death bed, so some booster dose will be helpful, but for how long the farmers will be kept alive. Farm debt waiver is not a permanent solution to the farmers' problems.
The real crisis for the Indian farmer is that he/she is not in control of the produce, unlike other businesses, and are dependent on cartel of traders to fetch a decent price. Farm-loan waivers increase the budget deficits of federal and State Governments and escalate inflation. Farmers distress will hurt farm economy till sops such as farm-loan waiver is given and farmers are not empowered to make their produce remunerative. For that to happen, the Government needs to be ‘technology enabler' instead of being a medium to waive loans.