Reforming agriculture

Farming needs to be made profitable

The proposal to link the allocation of Central funds to farm sector reforms in states, discussed at the first meeting of the chief ministers’ committee on transforming agriculture, has many sides and needs careful examination before the final call is taken. While it is true that several well-judged farm sector reforms initiated by the Centre have failed to make much headway because of states’ apathy, the denial of funding on this count may prove counterproductive, besides undermining the spirit of federalism. If the states’ disinterest in Centre-sponsored reforms and other initiatives is owing to their own better plans to achieve