The LPG (Liberalisation , Privatisation , Globalisation) policies ruined the living conditions of the rural poor to a large extent in the country. We have been involved in various economics , social and political struggles and gained very rich experiences through these. They will be much more useful for carrying on the struggles in the coming periods. The rural toiling masses are coming forward for militant struggles on their burning issues.
Public investment in agriculture and rutal development declined in this period. As a result , the growth rate of agriculture and its share in the GDP has been reduced from 32 percent in 1990-91 to 20 percent in 2005-06. But more than 65 percent of Indian population still depends on agriculture and its allied sectors. The rural proletariat also lost their livelihood and they have been forced to migrate to far away places in search of work. The peasants who could not withstand the bad effects of the new economic policies are committing suicide. More than one lakh peasants committed suicide in the country in between 1993-2003.
The production of the food grains had been affected badly. Intake of the food grains of the rural masses has been reduced. More than 70 percent of the Indian population is suffering from malnutrition and nearly 75 percent of our children are underweight due to inadequate nutrition. Thousands of Adivasis and the other poorer sections of the society have been din every year of epidemic diseases such as maleria and diahorrea.
Decline in employment, real wages and the sky rocketing price raise makes it impossible for garicultural labour to feed the entire family. To assist the families they have been employing their children in various occupations and they lose their right to education. There are nearly 6 crores child labourers in the country as oer the estimation of the World Bank.
After 60 years of our independence, 40 percent of our population are still illiterate. The illiteracy rat is much higher among the Adivasis and Dalits especially among women. As per the census of 2001 India has around 347.54 million children below 14 years contituting 33.8 percent of the total population. The governent has failed to fulfill the tast of providing education to all the children.
Agriculture is increasingly becoming a non viable venture. The NSSO Survey conducted in December 2003 showed that 96.2 of farmers household had incurred monthly consumpation expenditure in excess of their monthly average income. Only 3.8% household earned enough to meet their monthly consumpation expenditure. Because of this the peasant households are selling their land and live stock to meet their livelihood needs, which leads to the pauperization, landlessness and migration.
The National Survey shows that the number of landless people is growing at an enormous speed. The number of landless families in the countr during 199293 was 2.3 crores which jumped to 4.61 crores during 2002-03.
There are so many problems in the agrarian sector. Increasing unemployment,escalating prices of essential commodities, low prices for agriculture produce, increasing indebttedness and growing poverty. The unprecedented number of suicides by farmers and agricultural workers is a pointer to the magnitude of the crises. The government's shift in policies started from 1991 particularly with the new approach in Economy Policy. This has been the root cause for the continuing crises. As part of the new policy our markers are opened for foreign multinational companies. The removal of excise duty on imports opened up the flood-gates for the import of agricultural produce into the country causing a severe crash of prices for indigenous produces. Government withdrew from the procurement of produce. The government also reduced investment in agriculture , power, science and technology and has no interest in expansion in infrstructure inthese areas. All subsidies have been reduced. The change in policy only helps the richer sections. But in contrast the Left Front Government in West Bengal , Kerala and Tripura are trying to minimize poverty ,landless and other problems of the rural masses.
During the past Independence period we have witnesses two phases of capitalist development in agriclture. The first phase was the state sponsored capitalistic growth in Indian agriculture. The second one is the period of globalization which started since 1991. The Union Government paved the way for the entry of International companies and allowed imperialist monetary agencies like IMF, World Bak to get their grip on our economy. In this period the withdrawl of the state from agriculture which aggravated the crisis and the miseries which affected the agricultural workers the most. During the state sponsored phase of capitalist growth, the country had made tremendous strides in agriculture production. But the present scenario is different. There is steep decrease in the production in agriculture in the country today. The government is indifferent to the problems of agriculture and agricultural labourers and farmers. M.S Swaminathan's report for finding a solution to the problems of the agriclture sector, notably by implementing land reform, has been ignored. The government's agenda is for the corporates, richer sections and landlords not for agriculture workers. The agricultural worers, middle peasants, and poor peasants are adversely affected by the new economic policy. There is increase is suicides and starvation deaths. The government supports the leasers and land share companies. The governent had set apart one day to discuss the issues related to agriculture in the National Development Council. There was not even a single mention about agriculture workers and their problems in the Voluminous agenda papers prepared by te Planning Commission for that meeting. Without solving the problems of this backward sections, it is not possible to find a solution to any of the issues pertaining to our agriculture.
The situation demands the intervention of Agricultural and Rural Labour organization through struggles. There is opportunity for both big and small struggles. There is opportunity for both big and small struggles. This is the time to build class struggles to draw the attention of the government and instill confidence among the people that they can achieve their goals through these. We should simultaneously concentrate on the social and class issues. The most backward sections of our society should be given more importance. Communal and caste forces are dividing the people on the basis of community and caste. This is weakening the striking power of the poor. We should make all efforts to unite the rural workers beyond these dividing lines. Struggle against the new economic policies and raising imediate and partial issues to unite the class organization are the urgent tasks. The present situation is condecive for building mass movements, Struggle should be taken up in all zones in the country on various demands. It is time to move forward. We should make all efforts to strengthen the organization in every where from the village , to the districts, the state as well as the All India.
