My book is written with no political consideration, says MP Varun Gandhi

He has covered the gamut factors impacting the rural and agricultural landscapes

At a time when rural issues have yet again gained centre stage, Member of Parliament from Sultanpur, Varun Gandhi, has written a nearly 800-page-book — A Rural Manifesto: Realizing India’s Future Through Her Villages — covering the gamut factors impacting the rural and agricultural landscapes. He tells Sanjeeb Mukherjee that the book was written without political motivations. Edited excerpts:

The central government claims it has made fundamental changes to the way in which agriculture problems have been handled so far. Do you think the central schemes and programmes have had any traction on the ground?
 

Policy cannot be judged in the short term. Agriculture issues have been there since centuries.

Several policies have had a good effect. For example, coating urea with neem has increased efficient consumption and stopped illegal diversion. Focus on farm insurance and higher minimum support prices for the kharif season of 2018-19 are also welcome steps.
 

We need to build on these by improving insurance schemes and increasing actual procurement.

Falling prices have become a major issue for farmers, leading to rural unrest. Where do you think the policies failed? 
 

Inadequate reforms in marketing farm produce are the reason for falling incomes. A farmer loses out in good as well as bad harvest. 
 

We need to ensure higher price realisation, while taming food inflation. This can be done by increased investments in food supply chains for capacity building, besides increasing yields through improved irrigation and technological interventions. 

Farmer agitations have become common in the past few years. One is starting in New Delhi today (Thursday). What is the reason for this?
 

The issues our farmers are facing have persisted for decades, even centuries. Rather than blaming a government — past or present — we need to evaluate these issues analytically.
 

Rural debt is a primary reason for stress. This is, in turn, a result of inadequate farm income and limited avenues for increasing non-farm income.

In the recently held elections in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the forthcoming polls in Rajasthan, the big issue is agrarian crisis. Despite high growth in the farm sector, something seems to be lacking that has upset the rural population there. What is the reason for this?
 

Agricultural growth, if experienced in singularity, cannot be the only barometer. Farm incomes also have to rise. There should also be ample opportunities for non-farm income. We need to improve health care and education. 

Many people and critics will say you are playing into the Congress’s hands with this book, as well as creating pressure on your party, the Bharatiya Janata Party. What do you have to say?
 

The book has been authored without any political interests or considerations in mind. These issues, once espoused by all, were at once an intellectual and emotional problem, and one with no easy solution. 
 

The (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi government has promised to double farmers’ income by 2022. Do you think it is possible to reach the goal given that farm growth has been rather sluggish in recent times?
 

Well, I would not like to comment on this as it does not involve one single factor.