The Hindu : New Delhi News : Green Revolution has collapsed: Tikait

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Green Revolution has collapsed: Tikait

Staff Reporter

“Agriculture has become less remunerative over the years”

‘The much hyped loan waiver scheme had failed in Punjab’

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Mahinder Singh Tikait has said that 40 years after the dawn of the Green Revolution the agriculture sector was once again at the crossroads.

Addressing a rally of farmers from different parts of the country at Jantar Mantar here, Mr. Tikait said: “Agriculture has become less remunerative over the years. The Green Revolution has collapsed and farmers are committing suicide in many States. This proves that the entire plan to increase productivity has gone haywire.”

Failed scheme

BKU (Punjab) president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said the much hyped loan waiver scheme had failed in his State. “Punjab has benefited by less than one per cent from the scheme. The farmers in Punjab are not bank defaulters but are in the debt trap of moneylenders whom they owe around Rs.22,000 crore. The Government must arrange for waiver of that amount and make suitable laws to tame moneylenders.”

Lamenting that the fundamental issue of destruction of sustainable livelihood of farmers was not being addressed, Mr. Lakhowal said: “The farmers are caught in a dilemma on whether to continue with their ancestral profession. They not only have to face nature’s fury but also exploitation at the hands of the market forces.”

Pointing out that liberalisation had resulted in import of genetically engineered foods and seeds, BKU (Delhi) leader Yudhvir Singh said the UPA Government had allowed import of processed food containing genetically modified organisms without having any regulatory mechanism. “In order to protect our bio-diversity, we demand a complete ban on commercial release as well as import of all genetically modified crops, foods and seeds in the country. The Government must support ecological agriculture and provide incentive for growing toxic-free food through organic farming,” he added.

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