Farmers need bail out package of Rs 3 lakh crore: Agri expert

Food and Agricultural policy analyst Devinder Sharma today pitched for an immediate bail out package of Rs 3 lakh crore to farmers as an emergent step in view of the aggravating agrarian crisis.
Sharma, a noted agricultural expert, also said the government should put on hold implementation of the seventh pay commission for Central employees till an Income Commission is announced to help the distressed farmers.
"Giving income to the hands of farmers is the best way to boost growth," he told reporters here, adding, it would have a cascading effect giving fillip to job creation and growth in industrial and other sectors.

Sharma 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 funneled into the farming community, it would boost GDP growth up to 15 per cent.
According to him, the bail out 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.

"Why do we need to pay Rs 3 lakh crore to a class which doesn't need it. Why not spend it on farmers," Sharma asked, pressing for putting the seventh pay commission on hold.

He also dismissed as "a hoax" the Modi government's pronouncement about its target to double the farmers' income by 2022.
Farmers were now getting a measly income and doubling it would not mean anything to them, he added.