UPSC Interview: Rahul Rekhawar (IAS) Part III

RR: But sir, actual problem is the lack of investment and knowledge dissemination. If they are solved, productivity will automatically improve. So....

Fourth member: Yes yes, but productivity is the problem. Ok, what are other problems?

RR: Sir, Farmers are forced to spend large money for agriculture leading to debt trap & suicides in wider areas of India.

Fourth member: But see, PM Rajiv Gandhi himself had said that only Rs.16 reach to people.

RR: Sir, public investment itself has gone so down that whole budgetary support itself is not sufficient.

Fourth member: Ok, so what is the solution?

RR: Sir, I think, we should follow the principal of ‘Management by Objective’ sir. From Krishi Sevak in village to Taluka Technology disseminator to everyone, there should be targets given. For ex. If irrigated area is 15% in a village then the target should be, say 17% for that village. We have schemes like Swajaldhara where 90% expenses is given by Government and 10% is to be paid by people.Such many schemes are there. Moreover, this performance must be a criterion to decide their promotions and future growth. When I talked to my District Agriculture Officer about this, he said that farmers are not motivated…….

Fourth member: Come on, who would not like to be rich…..

RR: Yes sir. In fact farmers are not motivated and that is why this whole machinery exists to motivate them. If they themselves say this, then that is not correct. Apart from this, at macro level, I would recommend a telecom like model sir. What we did in telecom model was we divided country in circles and allowed 4-5 players in each circle along with a state player BSNL. Similarly, let us divide the country in 127 agro-climatic zones….

Fourth member: 127?

RR: Yes sir, we actually have 15-16 Agro climatic zones and 127 sub zones.

Fourth member: Ok ok….

RR: & then use the similar model for agriculture. We had Green Revolution but actual message of Green Revolution was not to go for Chemical intensive agriculture but that if agriculture improves, everything else will improve. Look at Punjab and Haryana today. They have been completely transformed.

Fourth member: Hummmm, we should not go for chemical intensive agriculture as it is harming agriculture now….

RR: Yes sir, the message of Green Revolution was not to go for chemical intensive agriculture but that if agriculture improves everything else will improve.

( fifth member)

Fifth member: What are SEZs?

RR: Sir, it is a policy of Government of India to create geographical zones for intensive industrial development. They are custom bound and enjoy tax concessions. They are primarily raised for export growth.

Fifth member: What is sustainable development?

RR: Sir, it means growth should happen in such a way that in future also, we keep growing. Growth today should not be at the cost of future growth.

Fifth member: Is SEZ & sustainable development related?

RR: Yes sir, in fact every government policy has to be related to that. We see that our exports are growing but outside companies are also coming in the same SEZ due to financial gains. If huge no of industries are going to get concentrated in small region, it will have very serious impact on environment and surrounding area. We should not have a model like China where for more than 11-12% growth, all rivers are polluted.

Fifth member: Have you traveled from Delhi towards Chandigarh?

RR: No sir, I have not.

Fifth member: Ok, towards UP, Lukhanow…..?

RR: (thinking for a second)

Fifth member: you will see that large very fertile land is being diverted to industry. Is it all right?

RR: Sir, I accept that well irrigated fertile land should be reserved for agriculture only as far as possible. But we have states like West Bengal, where whole state is fertile being a Ganga flood plain and delta. Such a strict policy will result in no industry there. But, they also need development. So, as for as possible, we should avoid fertile land and only as a last option, we should allow this.

Fifth member: But recently, there also were controversies regarding industries…..

RR: Yes sir, but they were primarily because of rehabilitation. We must ensure that everybody is made part of development and we have to take everyone along. It should not be that only small economically well section should grow. That is not sustainable.

Fifth member: Then how to solve this problem?

RR: Sir, I think we should take some cue from Haryana and UP where very good compensation packages have been given to farmers including provision of pension and payments till 30 years.

( back to NS)