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Making sense of the Union Budget 2008-2009 |
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The Union budget for 2008-09 has generated much debates over its loan waiver for small and marginal farmers. The question now asked is: Will it help the farmers suffering a severe agrarian crisis? E-Pov invited few experts to comment and analyse the budget on its key components, dominantly on the farmer loan waiver proposal. Besides, we have compiled an interesting dossier on the budget, farmer indebtedness issues and overall agrarian crisis of India. |
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“ The budget excludes from full benefits all the farmers on dryland and poor quality land who hold
more than 2 hectares, even
though they are among the worstaffected from the agrarian crisis. Most of the distressed farmers of the Vidharbha..... ” |
Jayati Ghosh, Professor,
Centre for Economic Studies
and Planning,
Jawaharlal Nehru University |
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| “ The loan waving is a temporary relief to the farmers. Instead, the government should have considered that such a situation does not arise in future. For that the foremost requirement is to strengthen agricultural insurance sector and widen its scope with large coverage...... ” |
P K Joshi, Director,
National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research |
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| “ Loan waiver is the price we have to pay for the neglect of rural India during the past several decades, as reflected in a gradual decline in investment in key sectors like irrigation, post-harvest technology...... ” |
M.S Swaminathan,
Former Chairman,
National Commission for Farmers and Chairperson, M. S Swaminathan Research Foundation. |
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| “ The biggest concession and the maximum publicity has gone to the debt waiver and relief scheme for the farmers. The sum involved is estimated to be Rs 60,000 crores. Question that is being asked is where is this money.....” |
Arun Kumar, Professor,
Centre for Economic Studies
and Planning,
Jawaharlal Nehru University |
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| “ The loan waiver provision in the budget favours very few farmers. Seventy per cent of the farmers who own less than one hectare of land do not opt for commercial credit. These farmers reside in the dryland areas and would be bypassed due to the land ....... ” |
Mohan Guruswamy,
Chairperson, Centre for Policy Alternatives |
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| “ The policy approach to agriculture, particularly since the mid-1990s, has been to secure increased production through subsidies on inputs such as power, water and fertiliser, and ....... ” |
N.C. Saxena,
Former Secretary, Planning Commission |
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| “ The Economic Survey notes that the agricultural work force is 52 per cent, not 60 or 70 as popularly believed. In fact, this also includes a share of six per cent for dairy and poultry, and so crop.....” |
Yoginder K. Alagh,
Former Union minister for Power, Planning and Science |
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| “ The waiver to the farmers’ loans does not solve the problems of the large section of farmers who are in distress. The bank loans availed are largely by the big farmers who can withstand risks to crop production. The....... ” |
Surinder Sud,
Business Standard |
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LEADER |
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Harvest season: Loan waiver has turned budget into election campaign |
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It was the biggest feature of the union budget, and was played to the maximum effect. Waiver of small and marginal farmers’ loans amounting to Rs 60,000 crore triggered a virtual stampede among political parties to claim credit for it; the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) termed the decision ‘momentous’. The budget, however, offers little to address the larger problem of agricultural recession, the main reason behind severe indebtedness of farmers |
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RESOURCES |
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 Union budget 2008- 2009 |
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Economic survey 2007- 2008 |
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Budgets 2008-09: As If People Matter? (pdf) |
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Prepared by the Central Budget and Governance Accountability, the report is a comprehensive response to the Union budget from the perspective of the poor and marginalised. |
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Report of Expert Group on Agricultural indebtedness (pdf) |
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The Report of the Expert Group on Agriculture Indebtedness prepared by Ministry of Finance discusses debt as one of the causes for agrarian crisis. It notes that most marginal farmers were highly dependent on private moneylenders. The formal banking institutions account for only two-fifth of the total outstanding loans in the country. To read the report click on the following link |
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Open Budget Index 2006 |
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This is the first index to rate countries on how open their budget books are to their citizens. It intends to provide citizens, legislators, and civil society advocates with the comprehensive and practical information needed to gauge a government’s commitment to budget transparency and accountability. |
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Our Money, Our Responsibility: A citizen’s guide to monitoring government expenditures (pdf) |
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This Guide offers an overview of government budget implementation processes and provides practical, tested tools that can be used by civil society organizations interested in monitoring government expenditures. |
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Can Civil Society add Value to Budget Decision-Making? (pdf) |
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A description of the expanding contribution of civil society organizations to public budgets in developing countries. |
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Budget analysis and policy advocacy: The Role of Non Governmental Public Action |
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The International Budget Project (IBP) and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex have produced in-depth case studies of six established budget groups in Brazil, Croatia, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Uganda engaged in budget analysis and budget advocacy. The research aims to learn specifically about the impact of sustained budget work on good governance and poverty reduction. |
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2007 OECD Budget Practices and Procedures Database |
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This second edition of the OECD Budget Practices and Procedures Database has been revised since it’s compilation in 2003. The OECD Database is designed as an easily searchable reference for budget practitioners and others interested in comparing national budgeting and financial management processes to share experiences and best practices. The responses from the new survey are available on this interface for 38 countries, including the 30 OECD member countries and 8 non-members: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Israel, Peru, Slovenia, and Venezuela. |
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Centre for Science and Environment, 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi. India - 110062
Tel: +91-11 29955124/125; 29956394 | Fax: +91-11 29955870; 29955879
E-mail: cse@cseindia.org
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