Reforms needed for development, says PM amid farmers' protest

Lucknow, December 7, 2020 (the Tribune news)

Amid the row over laws meant to bring a major change in the agri-marketing sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said reforms are needed for development and some laws from the past century have become a burden now.

Launching the Agra Metro rail project through video conference, Modi said the reforms carried out by his government are also getting reflected in election results.

His pitch on the importance of reforms comes ahead of Tuesday’s Bharat Bandh over the three new farm laws enacted at the Centre. But during his brief address, the Prime Minister made no direct reference to the new laws or farmers’ protests.

"Reforms are very much needed for a new order and to give new facilities. We cannot build the next century with the laws of the previous century,” he said.

“Some laws that used to be good in the past century have become a burden in the present century. Reforms should be a continuous process,” he said.

Modi said his government is carrying out “holistic reforms”. “Earlier, reforms used to happen in a piecemeal manner, or keeping in mind some sectors and departments,” the Prime Minister said.

He said the reforms carried out in recent past have infused self-confidence in the country, adding that people will be satisfied when they go through the “finer details”.

“This confidence has been seen in every election in the recent past. A glimpse of this confidence is seen in the election results in every part of the country, including Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

The Prime Minister said in recent years the poor and the middle class have showered their “unprecedented blessings” on the efforts of the government. He said their support and the small joys experienced by the countrymen “gives me the courage to do new things and take new initiatives”.

Modi said his government intends to solve the festering problems faced by people, make life easy, increase investment and ensure the maximum use of modern technology. (continued in the Tribune link below *)

>>> In the past several years there were many TV and radio programs telecast / broadcast by Info-Canadians in Toronto and Vancouver etc. which included complaints from program hosts and guests on the bad condition of Indian (Punjabi and others) farmers, especially with respect to farmers' unpaid bank loans and suicides.

Moreover, the people on TV and radio would complain that the Govt. in India was not doing enough to improve farmers' condition (basically, forgive the bank loans in the case of farmers easily, entirely and all the time).

But now when the Govt. tries to implement a long term permanent solution to solve problems of farmers, the same people (including the hosts and guests on TV / radio) seem to complain and protest against Govt. initiative.

Do the protesters and complainers everywhere want the Indian Govt. to excuse / forgive the farming bank loans and dispense farming subsidies only and do little else on farming issues and problems faced by farmers?

* Tribune link: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/reforms-needed-for-development-says-pm-amid-farmers-protest-181099