80% Haryana farmers at BPL levels: Study

PATIALA: Politicians may have flashed the `development' card while campaigning, but a recent study reports that 80% farmers in the state are reeling under debt.The study shows how nearly 80% farmers in Haryana are actually living below poverty line if one goes by the World Bank's definition of “moderate poverty“ that means an earning of $2 per day.
Portions of the study were recently published in the latest issue of “Indian Journal of Economics and Development“.The survey was conducted by economics professor Gian Singh and research scholar Veerpal Kaur at Punjabi University, Patiala.
As per their report, Haryana's farm ers are not any better off than those in neighbouring Punjab, where almost 89% farming households live under debt.
Based on interviews of 535 peasant families in 23 villages of three districts: Yamunanagar, Bhiwani and Sirsa (on productivity the highest, medium and lowest districts) were interviewed. “About 81% of farming households in Haryana are under debt. Over 84% marginal farmers are under debt, 80.3% small and 79.5% medium farming households respectively“, the study said.
Commenting on causes, Gian Singh said, “Their situation is not due to state policies but that of the Centre.Prices of farm inputs of diesel and fertilizers are decided by the Centre, as it does minimum support price for crops.Increase in prices of agricultural produce is not in proportion to increase in other commodities. This leads to indebtedness.“ On whether social factors were responsible too, he said, “Spending of small and marginal farmers on social customs is not high. Thus, social factors play a very minor role.“