Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

we can take pride that the country has recorded impressive figures in terms
of growth rate, our village and cities still grapple with basic problems like
non-availability of clean drinking water and absence of basic amenities like
sewerage. Large segments of our population do not have the assured two
square meals a day, leave aside access to even basic levels of health care,
education and housing fit for human habitation. The gap between the rich
and the poor continues to widen. Nearly 77 percent of our people still
survive on less than Rs.20 per day. This shows that we have failed to realize
the goal of equitable
development.
One of the reasons for this inequitable pattern of development is the
wrong approach adopted in central policies. For example, agricultural policies
of the centre are made without any regard to the unique requirements of
different regions in the country. Although agriculture is a state subject, the
centre controls the critical area of price fixation of both the farm inputs and
the agricultural produce. But while the costs of inputs have sky-rocketed, there
has been no corresponding increase in the MSP of critical food-grain and
other agricultural produce.
The increase in cost of cultivation has led to the decrease in net-profit. This
has seriously affected the social fabric in the country, especially in Punjab. This
was one of the main reasons behind the decade-long violence that afflicted
Punjab. These conditions can also lead to the rise of ideological violence as
witnessed in several parts of the country. The disturbing news from the farm
sectors is that 40% of the agriculture population of Punjab has become surplus
and needs to be shifted away to alternative jobs in other sectors such as industry,
service etc. Failure to do so will add to the already mounting number of the
unemployed and this in turn will pose a serious threat to peace. Economic
deprivation leads to frustration among the people and this frustration is exploited by
mischievous elements to create conditions of unrest in society, leading to serious
threats to peace. Poverty and unequal distribution of wealth thus become major
challenges to peace and national integration.
I also wish to state here that the subsidies being given by the Punjab government
to the farm sector should be treated as national investment for growth incentives.
While I strongly advocate such subsidies, I also urge the centre to come forward
and share the burden of the state goverment because these subsidies serve the
objective of food security, which is realy a national issue.
170