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1. If rural distress could be a decisive factor in any election, how is it that Sharad Pawar’s NCP, which is essentially a political party of big and rich farmers, is still in business? 2. I think all political parties have treated small farmers as vote banks, without doing much for their welfare. Till now all our political parties have implemented policies which are beneficial for a small percentage of big, influential farmers. Congress, NCP, SP and BJP have all protected interest of big farmers more than of anyone else. 3. In drought prone regions of Maharashtra, there is so much excessive use of water for sugarcane crop and politicians like Sharad Pawar are to be blamed for this sorry state of affairs.
In terms of the electoral calendar, this is a time to put out fires, not dig wells. However, India’s sugarcane economy is out of step with declining global demand and lower prices. Too much of Maharashtra’s scarce irrigation water is taken up by this thirsty crop.
1. If rural distress could be a decisive factor in any election, how is it that Sharad Pawar’s NCP, which is essentially a political party of big and rich farmers, is still in business? 2. I think all political parties have treated small farmers as vote banks, without doing much for their welfare. Till now all our political parties have implemented policies which are beneficial for a small percentage of big, influential farmers. Congress, NCP, SP and BJP have all protected interest of big farmers more than of anyone else. 3. In drought prone regions of Maharashtra, there is so much excessive use of water for sugarcane crop and politicians like Sharad Pawar are to be blamed for this sorry state of affairs.
In terms of the electoral calendar, this is a time to put out fires, not dig wells. However, India’s sugarcane economy is out of step with declining global demand and lower prices. Too much of Maharashtra’s scarce irrigation water is taken up by this thirsty crop.