Agriculture plays the most important role in Indian economy. It is the primary source of livelihood for a majority of Indians and contributes nearly a quarter of the nation’s GDP. Even though the plight of farmers-low incomes, ever-increasing debts and suicides-had been at the centre of Indian politics for decades since Independence, the past policies have not had the desired impact. Agriculture continued to be an unresolved impedance to India’s growth story. Unfortunately, the policymaking of the past lacked vision and failed to stabilize the farm crisis. Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up with the vision of doubling farmer income as a tenable solution and long-lasting solution to the challenges. In order to sustain the agro-economy and ensure food security, agricultural growth and farmer’s income were both considered equally important. His vision of ‘Beej se bazaar tak’ (from seed to market) encompassed all the measures that are needed to ensure better incomes for farmers and increase farm productivity. The prime objective of the Modi government has been to double farmer income in the shortest possible time. Doubling Dreams: Transforming Agriculture in Modi’s New India covers all the schemes and initiatives undertaken in the five years (2014–2019) by the Modi government to achieve its commitment for giving farmers their much-deserved rewards and recognition. The chapters are based on true accounts of farmers who interacted with the editors and the contributors.
About the Author
G. SREEDATHAN is a Delhi-based senior journalist with more than twenty years of experience in print, electronic and digital media. He has worked with Organiser, The Pioneer, Hindustan Times and Business Standard, and written columns and articles for many Indian and foreign publications. At present, he is the chief editor of Indus Scrolls, a news and current affairs website. He is also associated with a policy think tank-India Foundation for Rural Development Studies-as well as several civil society organizations. He has taught as guest faculty in Indian Institute of Mass Communication. ANOOP A.J. is a Delhi-based researcher and policy analyst with many years of experience in policy advocacy. He has worked as a research scholar at Vivekananda International Foundation, Delhi, and as a volunteer with Vivekananda Kendra. One of the founders of policy advocacy platform Bharat Niti, he writes regular columns in dailies. Also a political activist, Anoop is the National Secretary of the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party.
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