Bhubaneswar: Rural distress is one of the important concerns of policymakers in India. The occurrence of farmer’s suicide in different regions has forced politics and academics to ponder over it seriously . The social scientists, environmentalists and policy makers are divided over what it is and how it can be solved.
Precisely speaking, agricultural distress is primarily responsible for rural distress in India. It has resulted in exploitation of villagers at the hands of money lenders, casualization of labour, increased rural-urban migration, decreased focus on education and health of children, and increased instances of farmer suicides.
Experts give the opinion that revitalizing rainfed agriculture, diversifying rural economy, mechanizing agriculture and developing ancillary industries to process agricultural products will help us to revive the rural economy and society
Against this backdrop, the Post Graduate Department of Public Administration, Utkal University proposes to conduct an National Seminar on ‘ Rural Distress in India: Policy Concerns’ to discuss over policy options and explore policy alternatives to keep at bay rural dist.
The Magsaysay Awardee Shri Palagummi Sainath has graced the occasion as Key Note Speakers. He said that agrarian distress is a civilization crises. Agricultural credit has been diverted credit for agribusiness going to corporate. Inequality in India is growing. There is water transfer from rural to urban from agriculture to industry form food crops to cash crops. 86 percent of our parliament members are cores parts not really understanding the issue of rural distress. Our Parliament need to have special sessions on Agricultural distress. We need to reclaim our parliament and institution need to address the needs, entitlements of rural Indians particularly women lest we cannot address rural distress. People should also demand for a special session of state assembly, he added.
PG council Chairman Prof. Bramhananda Satapathy said that we have to create interest for farming in our youth. We need to enhance the dignity of agriculture as a profession.
Prof.Padmalaya Mohapatra, HOD, PG council , Prof Swarnyee Tripathay, Convenor, Smt. Bandana Pattanaik, International Coordinator, GAATW, Bangkok and Prof.Jyotirmayee Tudu were also present on the dais.
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