Farmer suicides began getting attention in the late 1990s, in the cotton belt of united Andhra Pradesh. Cotton prices nosedived globally, and the farmers there did not have a cotton monopoly procurement scheme like we in Maharashtra had. Our suicides, which continue even today, started around 2003, when the state government ended that scheme, which used to pay farmers ₹500 to ₹600 bonus, per quintal, above the MSP (minimum support price). With the scheme being revoked, our farmers became exposed to free market price trends and stopped getting the assured sum of money from the government.
Suicides kept increasing every year and, in 2008, the government led by prime minister Manmohan Singh began thinking about the issue seriously. It was Singh who had introduced the free market economy in 1991, which led to the widening of the gap between the rural and urban economy. With the fifth pay commission, the income of one class rose rapidly and people started buying fridges, microwaves and scooters at no interest.
Denne historien er fra October 20, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Denne historien er fra October 20, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Lotus Roots Run Deep
The return of RSS cadre and the BJP’s grooming of second-rung leaders across the country bode well for its future
Surprise hit
Oscar nominated filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji says he wants to bring back migrant Bhutanese
Tales of erotically ethereal women
In Kiran Manral’s The Moon in the Lining of her Skin, dark fantasy meets creatures of light
The 'fun'tastic hero
Balakrishna, who completed 50 years in Tollywood, on casting Bobby Deol in his upcoming film, his dream role and controversies surrounding fan interactions
From biscuits to barrels
How a failed factory helped Paul John reshape India's reputation in the whisky world
ROYAL GOAL
Descendants of rulers of Mayurbhanj are now empowering the tribals of the area
Toilet paper-a bum deal
So I have picked up my jhola and been in fakir mode last two weeks—travelling for a family wedding, and then a beach holiday through Australia and southeast Asia.
If Sikkim, Arunachal can be states, why not Ladakh?
LADAKH WAS IN the news recently, as climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is the Union territory's most recognisable figure, undertook a trip to Delhi on foot to draw attention to the ecologically fragile Himalayan region.
SPEED BREAKERS
The humiliation in Haryana and an underwhelming show in J&K come as a reality check for the Congress
BEATING THE ODDS
Haryana results show that effective messaging, targeted outreach and the ability to manipulate a divided opposition can tackle anti-incumbency