Congress Manifesto 2014 - Directionless on National Food Security & Food Inflation

Congress Manifesto 2014

Directionless on Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, National Food Security and Food Inflation

If political parties can’t even think about food security of the country, how they will implement Food Security Plans.

Election is a time, like final match when political leadership should bring best foot forward. It is very important that as citizens we should understand the vision and priorities of our political leadership. It is very easy to promise moon, but it is useful to understand whether our leaders have vision or direction to fulfill the promises or not or these are just empty promises without any substance. 

As a analyst of Public Policy and Policy Advocacy, I have decided to read all Election Manifestos of leading political parties to understand what is there for national Food Security and how these political leadership will control and manage food inflation, the basic issue affecting every citizen and every other industry in the country. This will have implication on our foreign policy and national economic policy.

Congress Election Manifesto 2014 Analysis of Section on Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
S. No	Promises and Action Plan given in Chapter 10 for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare. Let me reproduce it verbatim for you with my observations in this column.	Why Congress approach is faulty and is missing in Action? In this column, I have tried to highlight why proposed action plan and steps will not be able to control food inflation and food security challenges.
1	The Indian National Congress will continue to provide an impetus to agricultural growth, productivity and incomes. We will also stay focused on providing all possible support for our farmers, in particular women and small and marginal farmers. The Indian National Congress has instituted schemes like the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. As a result of these measures, the agriculture GDP growth went up from 2.6% (under the NDA) to 3.1% under UPA-I and further to 4% under UPA-II.	Congress has not indicated with this claimed growth rate why there was steep rise in food inflation. There can be two reasons: 1. Either these growth numbers are cooked up by planning commission and concerned departments or government failed to understand the food demand in this country. Hence lead to poor planning and lead to problem of food inflation and food insecurity. 2.  The proposed plans failed to deliver the way they were planned. The appreciation of failed program means we have not learned the lessons so far. This raises the concern about the ability of congress to recognize the mistakes and rectify the problems in their planning, policies and execution.
2	1. The historic decision by the Congress-led UPA government to allow Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail will transform the agrarian economy as it will create a beneficial value chain from farm-to-fork, creating rural infrastructure for sorting, grading, packing, cold storage facilities and warehousing. It will ensure that the farmer gets a much higher value for her or his produce.	Without the amendment of APMC Acts, Essential Commodities Act and modification of laws to ensure smooth movement of goods within the country, it is not possible for any company to invest heavily in agriculture infrastructure. Why any investor should remain at the mercy of state governments because under the current legal system state governments can take any weird decisions under political considerations. This is a huge political risk for any investor. Why Congress Party is not willing to amend these acts, if they are serious about private capital in agriculture sector.
3	We will continue to nurture Public Private Partnerships for increasing investments in value-chains, cold storage facilities, grading and standardization, quality certification and warehouses. This will greatly aid in increasing agriculture productivity and exports.	As mentioned above, these promises have no relevance unless applicable laws and rules are not amended. Under PPP mode, government also has to commit resources. Why Congress party has not committed any number in this regard in support of their commitment?
4	We will add 1 crore hectares to irrigated area by completing the radical Water Reforms Agenda of the 12th Plan, which is based on Irrigation Management Transfer to  Water Users Associations of farmers. This will ensure Gross Irrigated Area crosses 10 crore hectares in India.	Without ground water and without sharing of water pacts how it will be possible? There is no investment or incentive to save water and there is no political will to share water with water deficit states, because river linking project is not a priority of Congress (as it was BJP idea). This commitment without improving the source of water will lead to desertification and depletion of ground water. This will be ecological disaster.
5	The current water use efficiency in irrigation is 40%. The Indian National Congress will actively support more efficient water use technologies including reuse and recycling of water. We will complete the historic aquifer-mapping and the groundwater management programme launched by UPA-II over the next five years, to ensure sustainable utilisation of groundwater to secure the livelihoods of lakhs of our farmers, particularly in regions where ground water depletion has taken place.	This commitment lacks facts and figures. 40% irrigation water use efficiency is due to poor cropping pattern and distorted policies towards cropping pattern. If government is keen to save irrigation water, why micro irrigation and water harvesting is not made mandatory for all by extending tax incentives. ·      Why crops like paddy and sugar are promoted being domestic needs. Why we are wasting precious water and promoting exports of these water guzzling crops without any value addition. This water can be used to produce pules and oil seeds which we are exporting at higher price than the export prices Rice? ·     Who is benefiting from these policies and at what cost? ·  Are these logical and sustainable approaches?
6	5. Small and marginal farmers own more than half the country’s total cattle and buffalo. However, only 12% of the total expenditure on agriculture is on livestock development. The Indian National Congress will place a special emphasis on livestock, fisheries, opening of veterinary schools and centers, fodder development through animal husbandry programs and schemes like MGNREGA. MGNREGA will also be harnessed to support the construction of poultry shelters and water bodies for fisheries.	The problem with livestock sector is lack of policies to support the feed and fodder development because we do not have enough land to produce feed for animals. Today, feed is more expensive than human food in many villages. Smuggling of large animals to Bangladesh, lack of disease free zones, lack of ‘sensible’ insurance policies for livestock, lack of laws to ensure movement of animals and lack of clarify on taxation policies are hurting the growth of this sector. ·  Small livestock farmers need marketing support. ·   There is no statement to support these issues on ground.
7	The Indian National Congress will increase spending to ensure access and quality in agriculture education, including increasing the amount for and number of post-matric scholarships and research fellowships for veterinary students.	Why privatization of agriculture research and education is not considered? Why monopoly of ICAR should exist in seeking fund for agriculture research and education. Let the best should get an opportunity to deliver.
8.	The Indian National Congress will increase coverage of crop insurance schemes, particularly among the small and marginal farmers and non-loanee farmers. Settlement of claims on time, better crop yield estimation to determine premiums etc., and involvement of private sector will be other areas of focus.	·    Why Congress governments were not able to do this in last 10 years? ·    What new they will do this time? ·  Who was stopping them? Are those forces no more exist? ·  This seems just an empty promise without any clarity about why last 10 years were lost opportunity.
9.	The Indian National Congress will allocate special funds for agricultural research to develop new technologies for disease management of crops and livestock, high-yielding-varieties of crops, etc.	·        How much and why now? ·        This is a continuous process, if it was an on-going activity irrespective of political party in power, why it is mentioned in election manifesto? ·    Why productivity is so low in most of the crops in congress ruled states?
10.	The Indian National Congress will promote resource conservation technologies and agriculture practices like integrated farming, organic farming and develop wastelands for dry land farming.	On one side congress wants to promote technologies to improve the productivity to reduce food inflation and to ensure food security for common man. Now they want to promote organic farming. ·        Are these organic foods affordable for common man? ·       Why they want to promote this? ·       What is the per capita land availability for food production? · Can these concepts ensure food security of India? ·    Who will benefit from organic farming?
11.	We will cover 250 lakh hectares as watersheds, as part of the dramatically reformed Integrated Watershed Management Programme launched by UPA-II.	How much resources are there to cover this project. Congress had not indicates resource requirement for these projects. Most of these projects are under the jurisdiction of state government and congress party has no control on these states. States under the control of opposition parties will demand additional funds to support any program of congress led central government.
12	There are lakhs of families in our coastal belts that depend on fishing for their livelihood. To enhance their welfare, a new Ministry of Fisheries will be established and all steps will be taken to further enhance their livelihood security.	Why it was not done in last 10 years, when all finance ministers in congress rule were from coastal states? Was this due to lack of understanding of the sector or due to lack of political will?
13	The Indian National Congress, honoring the commitment made in the 2009 Manifesto, enacted the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Indian National Congress will ensure fast and fair implementation of the Act such that farmers, landowners and livelihood losers get adequate compensation for their acquired land.	Market forces always paid what was right price to farmers. It was congress governments and congress allies were violating the fair rule of the market. If this is election commitment that now onwards Congress will be honest and fair to people is a welcome step. To ensure honesty and fairness do we need election commitment from Congress?  Just think about it.
14	The Indian National Congress has more than doubled the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for farmers for wheat and paddy from 2004-05 to 2013-14. The MSP for other cereals increased three-fold. We will continue our endeavour to provide higher MSP to increase profitability of agriculture for our farmers.	·        It took 10 year for Congress to double the MSP for farmers. Is this enough to compensate for inflation as per consumer price index? ·    On the other hand, consumers are paying  3 to 4 times the price in market. Who is pocketing the difference? ·     What about Pulses and Oilseeds, why these crops are not discussed as part of achievement of Congress government? Are these crops not important for India? Or, there is nothing to show to the country?
15	The Indian National Congress will provide concessional loans to groups / collectives of small and marginal farmers and women farmers up to Rs. 5 lakh to enable them to gain better access to inputs and services.	What is new about it? Will it help in poverty alleviation?  NO. There is no evidence to show that these programs helped in the past? If these were effective programs, why loan waiver were given for farmers? It means agriculture policies were defective and illogical that is why on one side we were giving loan waiver to farmers on the other handsome consumers were suffering due to food inflation.  Why this option was not used when farmers were committing suicide in many parts of India? Is election time is the only time to think what is good for India and good for farmers?
16	The Indian National Congress will strive to lower interest rates for farmers to ensure they are able to access extension services and agriculture inputs like seeds, water, fertilizers etc.	Congress will strive to deliver but can’t promise. Due to lack of ideas and will power how to revive agriculture in India. This point was added to fill the page in election manifesto. Agriculture is state subject. Is there any congress ruled state which gives hope and where farmers are happy? Let us see how congress led governments have performed in states before you decide about giving them opportunity at national stage.
In my view, 2014-19 will decide the fate of food security of India. The situation in food security will decide the fate of our foreign policy, economic policy and our bargaining power in the world politics. After 10 years of Congress rule, we, as a nation, are at cross roads.

I will wait for Election manifesto of other political parties to understand what are options they are offering before the country.

In my view Election 2014 will be turning point for socio-economic dynamics of India. Next 5 years, governments will have to give need maximum attention to ensure food security for 1250 million people. Unfortunately, it will be very difficult.

Please note down the prices of commodities today and you should compare the same every year on April 1st, to understand who is fooling in the policy making and to whom with reference to election promises. 

Do send your comments and feedback...

Will you? 

At least think about it and share your observations.