An open letter to Chief Minister Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar Ji on forming Agriculture Cabinet

First of all let me congratulate you for forming agriculture Cabinet for Farm sector. This will increase the number count of fancy schemes rolled out by Government of Bihar. As per the common perception of the people near and dear to you, it will bring green revolution in Bihar.
But let me tell you that I beg to differ, your intentions are good but still you will fail, as the agricultural development policy of Bihar has N number of flaws but I will be highlighting some major ones.

Absence of APMC Act:
For boosting production and productivity of Agri-produce, an efficient market is needed i.e. more number of buyers of agricultural produce, but unfortunately instead of modifying APMC act and increase the number of market yards with high tech facilities, APMC act has been repealed.
This has decreased the number of options available with the farmers and it will result in the following outcomes
• Farmers of Bihar will become laggards, as the market signals will have greater lag before it reaches them.
• Agri-Processing Industry will take a lot of time to develop, as the supply will be staggered and widely separated thus increasing the payback period of Agri-processors.
Low use of IT:
The use of IT in agriculture of Bihar is very low and there is a lot of information asymmetry about the programme/scheme among the intended beneficiary. This gives rise to rent seeking behavior.
I think, this problem can be tackled by documenting the major programmes and making it available in the form of CD in every Panchyat/Block.
Corrupt and Defunct Agricultural institution:
Rajendra Agricultural University, Department of Agriculture and Co-operation (DAC) Bihar, ATMA, Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s, Kisan Call centers and zonal research stations are sitting with ample human resource base, with loosely defined targets. They are enjoying their leisure time without showcasing the desired result.
I think this problem will be rectified by including performance appraisal system by the intended beneficiaries.
Poor flow of institutional credit
The flow of institutional credit to farmers for the purpose of farming is very low as most of the loans to priority sector are given for trucks, tempos and tractors etc.
The GoB should try to redefine priority sector, and ensure smooth flow of institutional credit to the farming community.

To conclude, I know a lot of queries and doubts can be raised on this as well, but believe me this will follow the Pareto’s 80-20 rule and you can see the desirable change within 3-4 years (gestation period) or else you can keep beating the bush by forming whatever you like.

Warm Regards,
Om Prakash Singh

Who killed the golden goose ?

A person was searching for something beneath the lamp post.
Another person who was looking at him asked what are you looking for?
Oh! I have lost my ring.
Where?
It has fallen in the lane 500 meters from here.
Then why are you searching here?
How can I search there, that lane is dark.
This is the story, which I have read when I was a kid.

The same story is being repeated with changed characters in agricultural development today. Agriculture is going through a sea change from traditional to high-tech in terms of Agri-inputs, production process, post harvest operations and then its marketing.

New technical knowledge is not being transferred to the farmers. Public extension system has almost gone defunct and the private extension system has limited coverage.
Changing social dynamics is not favoring farming as a profession; return per human resource is low. Knowledge of agricultural operation which was transferred from father to son is not taking place. Gradually the indigenous knowledge is being lost. New breed of farmers are at the mercy of agri-input retailers, who will obviously pass on products which are available with them and assures them a higher margin.
These unfavorable developments are compounded by climatic aberrations, leading to increasing incidences of crop failure.

Amid this tumultuous scenario, Golden goose has been cut for election campaign.
Instead of strengthening dilapidated Agri-extension network the government has chosen the easy and election winning path of loan waiver.

Bankers are washing the hands in the holy river; they booked most of the NPA accounts in rural areas as Agri loan and cleaned their books.

Now, farmers have become untouchable in the formal financial system and have no option but to go back to the money lenders or grease the hands of bank branch managers.

Jan Lokpal bill will be just another bill!

I am highly obliged to Anna Hazzare ji for awakening lazy public representatives from their so called deep slumber of ignorance. AAM ADMI (general public) has become a real AAM (mango) being enjoyed by corrupt officials and representatives.

This season of AAM (Mango) is coinciding with the election in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. There are several lucrative offers being made to the voters except real good governance.

GOI boasts of having several social welfare schemes for the needy, but most of them are falling short of more than 50% of the desired target.
What is the reason behind it? Let’s take a deep dive to find out the reason for the same.

Lack of standardization of processes

Officials in charge for dispensing these social schemes have their offices either at block or district headquarters, and the person who really needs social welfare scheme are either too old or illiterate or handicapped; incapable to run to block or district head office every now and then. Even if the intended beneficiary dares to visit the concerned office then there will be a day long exercise session to get the right form, as there is hardly any standard format being recommended by state or central government.

Local middleman
If the person is lucky and intelligent enough, then the correct and complete form is assured, but the remaining journey will not be a cruise without middlemen, who charge its share in the pound of flesh.


Due to these small but obvious problems like the two mentioned above.
I think this Jan Lokpal bill will not bring a sea change as expected by many of us, but will be just another bill and will not eradicate the problem of petty corruption flourishing at grass root level.

Divide The P(F)ool ACT

Observing the success and benefits of coach reservation exclusively for women, in Delhi metro; GoI is pondering upon dividing and relocating the population pool on the basis of gender. The line and direction of division can vary on the basis of topographical and climatic condition in the region. But once the area has been divided, the representatives of fairer sex will get the first chance to choose the faction where they want to live.

This division will be followed by nomenclature, where the originality will be maintained, but for the purpose of identification, suffix of fair-unfair will be used. For example, Factions of City X will be known as X fair & X unfair.

This idea has been developed by NAC (National Advisory Council) and will be piloted in Delhi, whereby Yamuna has been identified as mutually agreeable and natural line of division. Fairer sex has executed their right of first choice and preferred to settle down in Cis-Yamuna (Fair Delhi) as it has Connaught place, India Gate, Khan Market. Trans-Yamun (Unfair Delhi) has been allocated to male gender, which has Akshar Dham, Mayur Vihar and Noida.

Fair Delhi will be a protected area whereby any male member wishing to stroll will have to buy a ticket worth Rs 200.

NAC expects that this initiative will solve several problems like, feeling of insecurity among the fairer sex, and the problem of burgeoning population which was not coming under control despite several measures taken by the government.

The detail implementation plan of divide the p(f)ool act is yet to come; but, the members of unfair gender is unanimously expressing their dissatisfaction.

Fair gender is giving mixed reactions. Nishi, an active member of fair gender community, in her late teens, has expressed her dissatisfaction: “This is like administering a medicine, which can put end to disease along with the patient” whereas Jyoti, another member of the same community in late 40’s is happy with this initiative: “This initiative will improve my working efficiency as I will no longer be digressed”

Hypocrisy in the name of development

Few days back, I was in Purnia district of Bihar, also known as “Poor Man’s Darjeeling”.

I interacted with several farmers, ranging from small and marginal farmers to well-off farmers and I was shocked to know that agriculture which is so called as the priority sector is not in the
priority list of the farmers.

I tried to go for the root cause analysis, and for that I relied on primary survey and the tool used was focused group discussion (FGD) whereby I interacted with a set of question to get real insights.

The findings were really astonishing and one of which is:-

Hippocratic Policy Initiative:
Farming is still a labour intensive business in India; farmers are dependent on manual labour for their agricultural operations. These farming activities are dependent on weather, and leave a very small window for the farmers to complete their operations like sowing, harvesting, drying and threshing etc. In case the operations are delayed then the loss increases at exponential rates.

But, gradually the availability of labour has become one of the biggest problems due to NREGS policy of the Central government.

I am not against NREGS in any way, as the documental intentions of the policy is good and is sync with my thought of pro poor and pro rural. But, the way this programme is being implemented is an “OPEN SECRET” (everyone knows about it but everyone displays an ignorance) like Common Wealth Game.

This is the result of Hippocratic policy initiatives taken by the government, whereby the intention is not the work but showcasing of the number of initiatives taken which is pro poor and pro rural.

If something is coexisting and are interdependent then how policies like NREGS (now MNREGA) and Agricultural development are independent.

In addition to these Hippocratic policies, the process involved for taking government support is so complex, that most of the needy remain at the mercy of the officers, clerks or middle men to get their work done after paying out a fixed commission. (in pseud terms a service charge).

Mirage and Reality of India

Mirage and Reality of India
Why Farming and Farmer have always been cynosure of politicians, academicians, bureaucrats or the new the breeds of technocrats?
The answer is quite simple; India is a democratic nation, where majority rules through its representative and the ones who are in majority are the farmers. More than 2/3 of the Indian populations are dependent on farming for their livelihood.
So, there are large numbers of persons who have chosen the designation of farmer and profession of farming by choice.
This is something which has become a history or has it ever existed? Now, If we call someone as a farmer then it is generally signifies joblessness and are being looked down in the society.
Our society and economy has evolved in such a way that a person who earns even Rs 4000- 5000 per month, has more respect in the society than a farmer who earns significantly more than them. Due to this skewed behavior and lack of recognition farmers are always looking for a tradeoff in favour of some job which can give him recognition and monthly salary.
Let’s try to get a deeper understanding of the problem by analyzing it through two different streams:-
Organizational Behavior
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs states that the utmost need of a person is their physiological/biological need and when this need is met he moves up in the ladder with several steps like safety, belongingness etc. .
A person with job can easily move up in the ladder after meeting its 1st step physiological need whereas for farmers it is very difficult to move from 2nd -3rd step and the from 3rd - 4th step.
So Farmers, being a human being with a limited life period, is ready to choose the path, which can meet most of their needs in their life span.
Finance
Unlike a person doing a regular job, the cash flow for farmers is once or twice and if he is lucky it may be thrice in a year whereas his expenses are like us almost constant throughout the year.
It may seem to several well of service people as if this is not a problem; So let’s be empathetic and think of a situation where you get your salary in 12 months or in 6 months and you have to meet your regular monthly expenses. With the constraint that your god, your boss, may deny or reduce your income anytime, just like the weather god for farmers.

So, In order to boost the dignity and self respect of India, let’s give respect to the person called farmer and assist the nation by assisting the farmer in real sense.
From wherever we are and in whatever manner possible!!!

Surrogate Crime

Surrogate Crime, who is accountable?
Mass media was clamoring over the POLICE ENCOUNTER of 1 person named Sohrabuddin Sheikh. An environment of ambiguity is hovering around the case, some are saying that the encounter were fake and some are saying it was real, and our investigation agency CBI is looking into it and several people are being questioned for it. This is one form of crime where one person has been killed directly using weapons.
Now let’s come to another form of crime which is brewing up in our country and yet going unnoticed. In this crime weapons are not being used, but people are crying and dying, due to non affordability of food grains, despite its abundance. This crime can be termed as “Surrogate Crime”.
The farming community is working harder and harder to produce food grains, which can feed the billions of Indians. But the post harvest infrastructural facility is not being provided and it is simply rotting in open. Is there anyone who is accountable for this, or is it everyone’s job and thus no one’s job!!
It seems funny when the general mass is being fooled by magical words like “Inflation in food items will come down by December 2010”.
How will it come down?
What are the measures that have been taken?
The magic behind this assurance is very simple and based on two fundamental principles
1st Principle: Human Behaviour of adaptability: - After a long exposure to high price rise the people will adapt to it, and something which is bothering now will become obvious by then.
2nd Principle: Price drop in Agri-Commodities at the time of harvest: - The soothing “THANDA-THANDA COOL-COOL” effect of low food price will come on the arrival of Kharif harvest, which happens to be just one month ahead of the time predicted by soothsayer.
But unfortunately, this effect will last for the next 6 months i.e. July 2011 and then a fresh cycle of price rise will start; as nothing is being done on ground to improve the supply side, nor any infrastructural support is being created to store large quantum of surplus available just after harvest. Thus, the number of people affected by this Surrogate crime will keep rising year after year, and there will hardly be any investigation agency looking after it.