Most farmers aware of MGNREGA scheme, but not MSP: Study

Most farmers in India are aware of MGNREGA scheme but not about the minimum support price (MSP) for crops fixed by the Centre to avoid distress sale, according to a study by research body CSDS.
Also, 76 per cent of farmers surveyed prefer to do some other work rather than farming, while 60 per cent of them want their children to migrate to cities, the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) said in a survey that covered over 5,000 farmer households in 18 states.
The CSDS study, conducted on behalf of farmers body Bharat Krishak Samaj (BKS), said: "Approximately, 85 per cent of farmers have heard about MGNREGA. ...Approximately 62 per cent were not aware about the MSP."

However, 51 per cent of those who knew about MGNREGA said that they did not get work under this scheme, while 64 per cent of farmers who were aware of MSP were not satisfied with the price fixed by the government, it said.
It was in 1966, the government first announced the MSP for wheat to safeguard the interest of farmers. Since then, the MSP regime has been expanded to 25 crops.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was enacted recently in 2005 with the objective of guaranteeing 100 days of work in rural areas.

The study also said that most farmers are unaware of agri-schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission, National Agricutlure Insurance Scheme, Gramin Beej Yojana, Kisan Credit Card and loan waiver scheme among others.

"Being unware of these schemes, most farmers did not benefit from them.... Farmers did not benefit for lack of knowledge about the scheme," the study said and added that most farmers felt only rich farmers got benefit of government schemes and policies related to farming.
The study also said that only 27 per cent of them have heard about the land acquisition law and most of them felt that they would stand to lose from this law.
Also, 83 per cent of farmers have not heard about foreign direct investment (FDI). Among those who have heard of it, 51 per cent were against allowing FDI in agriculture.

On farmer suicides, the study said about 15 per cent had heard about farmers killing themselves in their area. "41 per cent respondents report domestic problems as most important reason for suicide cases, 35 per cent because of credit/loan followed by 14 per cent because of crop failure."
Contrary to general perception, the study said not many farmers are worried about repayment of loans.
On status of farmers, the study said around 47 per cent of them felt that the overall condition in the country is bad. Most of them blamed both Centre and state governments for their problems.