Indian Express

The finance minister’s frequent reference to the “Amrit Kaal” — India’s 25-year-long lead-up to its first centenary of Independence in 2047 — in her budget speech, encompasses, in no small measure, its massive accomplishment of running the world’s largest welfare program: that of feeding 800 million of its populace through entitlements of free and subsidized food. As a farmer, one hopes that a better measure of accomplishment would certainly be India not having to feed anyone for free because everyone could afford nutritious meals.

The repeal of the three farm laws is a politically astute move by the government and shows the BJP’s tenacious intent to remain in power beyond 2024. It is now for the farmer unions to tactically suspend the agitation and go back to the negotiating table, allowing space for the Prime Minister to deliver on his promises. 

Global e-retail overrunning the Indian space threatens both informal and formal retail chains in India. The overall economy is set to lose its entrepreneurial culture 

The budget, like farm laws, is marred by a gap between intentions and ground realities in Indian agriculture, with research and extension desperately lagging behind

As the government digs in deep to crush the farmers, who cling on for their survival, it is imperative that both reevaluate their positions to come out of the mess with positive outcomes

An opportunity has been lost in the politicisation of a critical issue as the farm bills get enmeshed in a cesspool of vested interests while the farmer interests stay ignored

Every poverty alleviation programme seems to have a recurring theme — being funded by the poor themselves; the numbers give the game away

India is failing on the nutritional self-sufficiency score and policy-makers should correct strategy stance, empowering the farmer to produce for nutritional adequacy.

The farm ordinances fail to resolve the dilemma of depressed farmer livelihoods even while amputating the ameliorative measures earlier built into the system.

As the Indian economy flounders the bigotry of those who make policy for the affluent only eats into the core of Indian society.