The suicide of Gajendra Singh, the farmer from Rajasthan during the AAP rally held a couple of days ago in Delhi, caught the media's lens and the nation's attention. What about the hundreds and thousands of farmers who have committed suicide over the last few years across the country. The most number of reported deaths from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Then there are some states which do not even report such deaths!!
When Gajendra Singh came to attend that rally, we know not for sure if he did really intend to commit suicide. But that he did and for evident reasons - at least from the note he left. Now whether failed crops was the only reason, needs to be investigated. However, getting the focus back on the suicide of farmers due to crop failure or loss, is something that the nation ought to do. What do we do from here? Political bigwigs are royally engaged in a slugfest of blame game. But why don't we see how not to have a repeat of such tragic situations? Why not see that no one is forced to such desperate measures as to end one's own life. That the government should take care to ensure that those on the fringe of society are looked after. By that I do not mean that they ought to be pampered! Not at all.
For one, if only our meteorological department were to function precisely and provide accurate weather forecast... then our agriculture sector help farmers choose to cultivate crops that would survive the weather predicted and yield a harvest by which none would suffer: neither the farmer, nor the consumer. It could then provide qualitative seeds for farming.
On the economic front, if farmers could easily approach the nationalized banks or such institutions from where they can borrow money - if at all, that is necessary! - rather than rely on landlords and moneylenders who then extort exorbitant amounts of interest and returns.
Well, this is only one common man, who has no experience of farming, or economics ranting... but where are the official and professional planners and policy makers? And what are they upto?
When Gajendra Singh came to attend that rally, we know not for sure if he did really intend to commit suicide. But that he did and for evident reasons - at least from the note he left. Now whether failed crops was the only reason, needs to be investigated. However, getting the focus back on the suicide of farmers due to crop failure or loss, is something that the nation ought to do. What do we do from here? Political bigwigs are royally engaged in a slugfest of blame game. But why don't we see how not to have a repeat of such tragic situations? Why not see that no one is forced to such desperate measures as to end one's own life. That the government should take care to ensure that those on the fringe of society are looked after. By that I do not mean that they ought to be pampered! Not at all.
For one, if only our meteorological department were to function precisely and provide accurate weather forecast... then our agriculture sector help farmers choose to cultivate crops that would survive the weather predicted and yield a harvest by which none would suffer: neither the farmer, nor the consumer. It could then provide qualitative seeds for farming.
On the economic front, if farmers could easily approach the nationalized banks or such institutions from where they can borrow money - if at all, that is necessary! - rather than rely on landlords and moneylenders who then extort exorbitant amounts of interest and returns.
Well, this is only one common man, who has no experience of farming, or economics ranting... but where are the official and professional planners and policy makers? And what are they upto?
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