#100days100scenes: the unfulfilled dreams

 We learnt that India is a land of farmers. India's 55% or so of GDP comes from agriculture. However our agriculture is primitive.

Farmers depend on fate rather than scale , they depend on monsoon rather than irrigation , they depend on flawed crop choices rather than accurate information, they depend on a flawed marketplace that is either governed by schemes or by racketeers. Crop failure cripples them so badly that they commit suicide. With no access to banking but only to the moneylenders back breaking interest rates, financial untouchability of farmers remains an acute crisis in India. Yes there are well off farmers as well in Punjab, Kerala and UP , but they are usually the ones who own large swathes of land and have access to cash crops.

The man who tills for the grain , makes no gain. Foodgrains rot in godowns , rather in an evolved supply chain. Indias farm to fork tale is riddled with potholes that have not changed for 50 years.



I see this scene from Upkar with the eponymous Manoj Kumar playing Mr.Bharat. I question what has really changed? Have we moved from this state? With 40% of our country unbanked and 27% living below the poverty line and a food surplus in grains, when will we have an efficient marketplace?



Kasme Vaade Govt ke , baate hai baaton kya ,
Hoga Mnrega , hoga Jan Dhan Yojana,
Tee khoon ke sab he pyaase , aur paseene se hoga kya
Dete hain bhagwaan ko dhokha,
Insaan ko kya chhodenge
Duniya waale tere bankar tera hi dil todenge
Dete hain...
Dete hain bhagwaan ko dhokha,
Insaan ko kya chhodenge
Kasme Vaade Govt ke , baate hai baaton kya ,

Why should be a nations basic right has become an utopian dream ?
Why should the yoke that tills the land be the carrier of hungry stomachs?
Why cant our service taxes put a farmer out of poverty?

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