The protests against the three farm laws were one of the most serious challenges the Modi government had to face in its 10 years.
One is promising what is probably a pie in the sky and the other more of the same. That, perhaps, is also reflective of the two rivals’ relative self-confidence. The BJP’s 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto is shorn of populism when it comes to farmers. It talks about a continuing increase in minimum support prices (MSPs) of crops “from time to time” (which the Narendra Modi government has anyway been doing) and providing “sustained financial support for our farmers” through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (without specifying whether or by how much the current Rs 6,000 annual transfer under it will be raised). The 2024-25 interim Budget, unlike the one five years ago, did not announce any hike in the PM-Kisan scheme payout or other giveaways. The Modi government didn’t see any need for these before the model code of conduct came into effect, nor does the BJP feel the need now.
The protests against the three farm laws were one of the most serious challenges the Modi government had to face in its 10 years. It was forced to repeal them, just as the ordinance amending the Land Acquisition Act was allowed to lapse during its first term. The BJP manifesto’s merely reiterating the government’s existing or proposed programmes — including the not-so-far-successful ones, like making India “atmanirbhar” (self-reliant) in pulses and edible oils, establishing clusters for production of essential TOP (tomato, onion, potato) vegetables and promoting natural farming – may demonstrate its conviction of returning for a third term. The manifesto is, however, silent on the farm laws. The party clearly does not want to rock the political boat, or commit to things it does not consider feasible to deliver.
On the other hand, in its manifesto, Congress has pledged to give a “legal guarantee” to MSP. How this would be done — making it a right for farmers to receive and obligatory for the government to ensure MSP — is not spelt out. As most economists have argued, a “legal MSP” is neither fiscally nor physically sustainable. How credible the promise is to the farmers themselves also remains to be seen. That said, there are good things in both manifestos. The Congress has promised to “double” the funding for R&D in agriculture in five years, while the BJP has stressed on technological interventions to enable more accurate assessment of crop loss and faster payouts under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Unfortunately, what is missing in both documents is a vision for Indian agriculture. Producing more from the same or less quantity of water, nutrients and energy requires politically-sensitive input pricing decisions. But that may be too much to expect from election manifestos.
