Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices;
Q5. “The promise of doubling farmers’ income was ambitious but insufficiently grounded in regional realities”. Critically analyse. What institutional and structural reforms are necessary to realise this goal? (15 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: NIE
Why the question
Most of the states in India failed to achieve the goal to double farmers’ incomes (DFI) by the 2022-23 period.Key demand of the question
It requires a critical analysis of the limitations of the income-doubling strategy in addressing regional diversity, and a well-structured evaluation of both institutional and structural reforms needed to realise sustainable farmer income growth.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Mention the shift in policy focus from production to income and set the context of ambitious targets vs. regional diversity.Body
- Highlight key achievements of the doubling farmers’ income initiative such as shift in policy vision, focus on allied sectors, infrastructure push, etc.
- Analyse why the income-doubling policy did not work uniformly across regions due to agro-climatic, institutional, economic, and social diversity.
- Suggest institutional reforms like decentralised planning, data systems, convergence, state commissions, and fiscal flexibility.
- Suggest structural reforms like land leasing, value chains, FPOs, social equity focus, and climate-resilient diversification.
Conclusion
Emphasise the need for region-specific, equity-driven agrarian transformation to truly uplift farmers’ income in a diverse India.
