In the last 10 years, the Modi government has done a good job in removing many obstacles in agriculture. But at the same time it has also had to struggle with reforms in the direction of taking it from the farm to the market. With three new agricultural laws in 2020, the Center tried to open up the sector with industry money, but these laws ran into trouble after protests by farmers’ organizations in 2020/21.

The government then changed tack and tried to revive the cooperative sector to strengthen farm infrastructure—to help farmers build capacity and storage facilities and give them control over prices.

Chouhan is known to not work “behind closed doors”. He believes in meeting, discussing, understanding and improving public policy and, as one source put it, “giving a human touch to policy”. As agriculture minister, he hopes taking the states on board will help him in his work and ensure that further reforms are not hampered.

What needs to be done

arrange for higher price

Working with the states to create a system that ensures that farmers get the best price for their produce, as well as reforms in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act (APMC)

e-nam

There is a need to increase access to the National Agriculture Market or e-NAM, the government’s online trading platform for 176 agricultural commodities. Also, financial institutions should be encouraged to recognize e-receipts for warehouse-based commodity trading.

GM Crops

There is a need to build consensus on the use of GM crops in India

Minimum Support Price

Farmers in northern India are demanding a legal system for minimum support price (MSP). The fields have been ruined by growing the same crop and diversification of crops has become necessary in this region. Farmers need to be explained in this matter.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan, 65 years, BJP, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Ram Nath Thakur, Minister of State, 74 years: Janata Dal (U)

responsibility to the son

His father is Bharat Ratna awardee and late Bihar Chief Minister Karpuri Thakur. In the past, he has been in the cabinet of Nitish Kumar and his rival Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Bhagirath Chowdhary, Minister of State, 70 years: BJP

Revenge fate

Six months ago, many had written off Choudhary after his defeat in the Rajasthan assembly elections, but the victory in the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat has revived his fortunes.

Early Life of Shivraj

Chauhan joined the RSS at the age of 13 and then while working with the affiliate organisation ABVP, became the head of the BJP’s youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and was also jailed for a short time during the Emergency.

Political journey

An MA in Philosophy (gold medallist), Chouhan entered the Assembly in the early 90s and then the Lok Sabha. After nearly a decade and a half as an MP from Vidisha, Chouhan was appointed chief minister of Madhya Pradesh in 2005. One of the most influential chief ministers of the BJP, Chouhan was considered a rival of Modi in 2014.

Current role

Chouhan’s experience of transforming Madhya Pradesh into one of the three major agricultural states will help him. If his tenure as a Union minister goes well, he could also be in the queue of successors in the post-Modi era

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rural Development

Villages have expectations from ‘Mama’

The rural sector is undergoing a transformation, with multidimensional poverty declining but much more needs to be done as aspirations rise

– Amarnath K. Menon

The ministry’s mandate includes poverty alleviation, enhancing livelihood opportunities and providing social security infrastructure. Money is not an issue—the budget allocation for 2024-25 is Rs 1.85 lakh crore. The rural sector is undergoing a transformation where there has been a reduction in multi-dimensional poverty.

The National Multi Dimensional Poverty Index released by NITI Aayog in 2023 claims that between 2015-16 and 2019-21, 24.8 crore people have come out of poverty.

Though there are signs of development in the village, concerns have also emerged. Migration of ambitious youth to urban and semi-urban areas in search of employment, increase in alcohol and drug abuse and lack of cleanliness and hygiene despite the initiatives of Swachh Bharat Mission are major concerns.

What needs to be done

E-Governance

There is a need to implement measures to digitise the rural areas and promote local e-governance so that 6.50 lakh villages and a population of over 80 crore can become self-reliant.

women self help group

Ladli Behna Yojana needs to be promoted to train women in self-help groups and help them generate a sustainable income of at least Rs 1 lakh annually. Helping self-help groups become business entities rather than continuing to be centres for micro-credit.

Rural Livelihoods

There is a need to increase funding for the National Rural Livelihood Mission to address livelihood challenges.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Rural Development Minister

Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar, 48 Years: TDP, Minister of State

Guntur MP; also Minister of State for Communications

Kamlesh Paswan, 47 Years: BJP, Minister of State

Four time MP from Bansgaon, UP.