The Hindu : National : Struggle for alternative farm policy planned

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Saturday, Apr 09, 2005

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National

Struggle for alternative farm policy planned

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 8. Concerned over the distress in the agrarian sector, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has decided to launch countrywide struggles for an alternative agricultural policy to include strict implementation of land reforms and vesting traditional forestland in the cultivating peasantry, especially tribals.

Adopting a resolution today, the 18th party congress listed 14 demands amid criticism over the approach of the United Progressive Alliance Government in addressing problems being faced by farmers.

The view was that even though the National Common Minimum Programme of the UPA outlined some measures that would, if implemented, bring some immediate relief to the rural masses, the current policies of the UPA, including those outlined in the Union budget did not indicate any basic change of direction.

"There is no basic difference between the BJP-led NDA Government and the Congress-led UPA Government as far as economic policies are concerned," the resolution said.

Not only land reforms had been jettisoned, several states had also introduced counter-reform legislation that provided, in different ways, for lifting land ceilings, taking away tenants' rights, clearing the way for private corporate land ownership and diverting land from crop production altogether. Tribals had been evicted in large numbers from their traditional forestlands.

The demands included comprehensive Central legislation for agricultural workers and guaranteed employment for the working people in rural India; a struggle for social justice and against atrocities or discrimination in all forms against dalits, adivasis, the minorities and women; increased public investment in physical infrastructure such as irrigation and electricity, and social infrastructure such as health facilities and provision of universal, free and compulsory school education.

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