NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar’s comments come in the wake of repeated farmer protests, beginning in June last year, following a record harvest and a sharp fall in crop prices. New Delhi: The spectre of farm distress has finally begun to haunt policymakers and the government is doing everything it can to address the situation, Rajiv Kumar, vice-chairman of central government think tank NITI Aayog, said on Friday. “Despite six decades of agricultural development, we still have a situation like this and it’s time to introspect deeply,” Kumar said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kumar said, has entrusted the NITI Aayog with ensuring that minimum support prices are effectively administered and the NITI Aayog is considering three distinct mechanisms. Commenting on the price crash in agriculture, NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand said that “while the current situation is bad for farmers, it may not last long as price movements are often cyclical”.

Source: Mint March 23, 2018 20:48 UTC