Chhattisgarh farmers are a better lot than their Madhya Pradesh peers

Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Raman Singh tried to prove that he is managing the affairs of his state better than his neighbour. When Madhya Pradesh was hit by the death of six farmers followed by suicide of three more who were reeling under a debt burden, Raman Singh announced for this fiscal an interest-free loan package of Rs 32,00 crore, which would be available to them this kharif and now with a good monsoon, the farmers, particularly in the rice bowl, will be able to get a good yield from their farm.

Chhattisgarh learnt from the mistakes committed in Madhya Pradesh and it was the result of a deft handling of the situation that prevented the farmers of Chhattisgarh from indulging in any agitation.

If a Chief Minister shows the will to improve the lot of the state's farmers by offering cash and agriculture inputs well in time when its needed, the Chief Minister will certainly get the compliments and blessings of the farming community.

While Madhya Pradesh has been boasting that its agricultural ouput increased by 20 per cent and the farmers are looked after well by the state, Chhattisgarh showed better management by offering them soil health management schemes that benefitted 40 lakh farmers. It was a better scientific approach to increase their agricultural output by taking soil tests every two years to enable them to use fertilisers and micronutrients.

Chhattisgarh showed an aptitude for better management of the agriculture sector than their neighbours by providing crop insurance for both rabi and kharif crops spending Rs 340 crore as premium.

Chhattisgarh is not immune to the farmer's agitation, but the RSS farmer's wing Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh, and Bharitya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh, which existed ever since the days of the undivided Madhya Pradesh and also in today's Chhattisgarh region, were not allowed to raise their heads and mislead the farmers. The various kisan unions that were so active in Madhya Pradesh were not allowed to unite in Chhattisgarh, thus preventing a Madhya Pradesh-like situation.

The situation in Chhattisgarh could have taken a worse turn after the police firing in Madhya Pradesh, but both the bureaucracy and the police prevented it and then came the happy announcement of the interest-free loans that made the farmers rejoice.

The farmers trusted the words of Raman Singh when he assured them that it would be the endeavour of his government to double the income of the farmers. The farmers of Chhattisgarh have reasons to believe in their Chief Minsiter, as two years ago, when the state faced drought, the state government not only made crucial announcements for the welfare of the drought-affected farmers, but also fulfilled them. He converted the short-term loans for kharif into medium-term loans and waived interest on the drought-affected areas, which benefitted the farmers immensely.

Thus, Raman Singh's government enjoys a better rapport with the agriculturists, than its neighbour. But more than anything else, it's the commitment to the farmers that made him a popular CM.