The seeds of a bleak future

This episode of legislating bad laws and rolling back, means those issues will not be addressed for fear of sparking another agitation, writes Devangshu Datta

The repeal of the three farm laws leaves the economy worse off than before because of its political implications. Agriculture is inefficient, and needs reform. The laws, which are now to be repealed, were regressive. But this government, and the next, and the one after that, will hesitate to even mouth “agricultural reform”.

Agriculture contributes about 20 per cent to India’s gross domestic product (GDP). The contribution may have risen in 2020 when services and manufacturing and mining (also part of the primary sector) contracted. As the contribution of services and manufacturing rises again, those segments will grow quicker.

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