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The United Progressive Alliance Government's efforts to convert subsidies, particularly farm subsidies, into direct cash transfer schemes in a phased manner got support from the principal Opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The national executive of the BJP, which met in Mumbai on Thursday, urged the Centre to open compulsory bank accounts for all farmers, so that all Minimum Support Price payments, subsidies, indemnities and other payments could be transferred in cash directly to farmers.
Though the NDA Government in Bihar favoured direct cash transfer, the BJP Government in Chhattisgarh had opposed the idea. This is the first time that the BJP has taken a stand on the controversial issue. The Centre was favouring direct cash transfer of nutrient-based fertiliser subsidy and the food subsidy, through the proposed Food Security Bill. The national executive of the BJP adopted a resolution that the subsidies could be paid directly to farmers as cash.
Adopts resolution
The BJP MP, Mr Rajnath Singh, said, “We have adopted a resolution favouring direct cash transfer. We want the government to open compulsory bank accounts for farmers.”
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Dr Raman Singh, had written to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, against the proposal to convert subsidies as direct cash transfer schemes. By adopting a resolution in the meeting, the BJP has now taken a stand in favour of the direct cash transfer at a national level.
The party opposed the Nutrient-based Subsidy (NBS) policy regime of the Centre. Mr Singh, who is also a former agriculture minister, said the Government should not withdraw its subsidies given to agriculture sector. “The BJP demands that fertiliser subsidies should be directly paid to the farmers and a follow up should be taken at the earliest,” the BJP's resolution on agriculture said. The party said it is opposed to genetically modified crops. It said the Government should put a moratorium on GM crops as it will not increase productivity. “These crops will pollute the seeds of traditional varieties. Multi National Companies want to destroy India's seed security. This will hamper India's food security,” Mr Singh said while briefing reporters on the resolution on agriculture.
The party also demanded a wider debate on the Land Acquisition Bill. The party's resolution said the cultivable land in India has been reduced in the last six years and there should be more investment in the agriculture sector.
Blames UPA for crisis
A resolution adopted at the Executive also blamed the UPA government for putting the nation in peril. It said the nation's economic free fall represents the total paralysis of governance under the UPA Government. The BJP said the Government should find more public and private investment in infrastructure development and for generating growth. “Given an opportunity, the BJP assures the people that it will once again bring the Indian economy back to a fast-growth track,” the resolution added. “The BJP demands an immediate and complete roll back of petrol prices failing which the Government should prepare itself to face a nationwide and strong democratic protest,” the party said.
Meanwhile, the national executive decided to amend the party's constitution to provide a second term for the president. If the National Council accepts the amendment, present president Mr Nitin Gadkari is likely to get a second term.
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