Page 4 - Gujarat Assembly Election 2017
Gujarat polls 2017: Decoding the challenges BJP faces in rural belt
Lakshman Dobariya of Jasdan in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat has seen his realisation drop from ~1,200 per 20 kg of groundnut to ~600 per 20 kg in the past five years. Although the state government announced a minimum support price (MSP) of ~900 per 20 kg right before the Assembly elections in the state, Dobariya is forced to sell his produce at market prices of ~500-600 per 20 kg. The queues at government procurement centres are unending. "My costs have risen from ~5,000 per bigha to ~8,000 while realisations have fallen from ~1,000-1,200 per 20 kg to ~500-600. This is accentuated by rising pest infestation and an erratic monsoon," says Dobariya. Dobariya's experience shows how farm distress is brewing discontent among Gujarat's rural electorate. The state government has pulled out all the stops to assuage the rural voter in the run-up to a crucial election. Among other things, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government announced a support price of ~900 per 20 kg of ...
 "Gujarat polls 2017: Decoding the challenges BJP faces in rural belt")
Gujarat elections: Narendra Modi accuses Congress of stoking communal fire
Those opposing bullet train should travel by bullock carts, says PM Modi
 "Gujarat elections: Narendra Modi accuses Congress of stoking communal fire")