Do not leave it to states

Farm price deficiency payments are better than raising MSPs

Indications that the Budget for 2018-19 is likely to be farmer-centric, with focus on remunerative prices for agricultural produce, make sense in view of the widespread economic distress in rural areas. But some of the measures being considered by the government to provide effective marketing support for major crops do not inspire much confidence in their success. These include the proposal to give greater responsibility to states to intervene in the market to provide price support, with the Centre bearing up to 30 per cent of the losses incurred on such operations. A more or less similar system, with the