What is Shetkari Sanghatana? What role has it played in the Indian Economy? Discuss.

Shetkari Sanghatana, also known as farmers’ Organisation, was founded by Sharad Anantrao Joshi. The organisation was for farmers with aim of ‘freedom of access to markets and technology’ and ‘remunerative agricultural prices’. The movement gathered momentum in 1973, following a lengthy gap period of 28 years since 1945. The movement was a response to the hindrance in the economic growth process of small farmers and agricultural workers, whereby a handful of rich farmers were privatizing the benefits of development, which inturn increased the general socioeconomic inequalities in the society. The main motives behind the Shetkari Sanghatana were to suppress the so called rising capitalism and extremism in India and promote socialism. The movement was against the policy of liberalization which left farmers helpless. But it supported the liberalisation in agriculture afterwards with several new reforms in agriculture sector. Furthermore, it led to formation of new agricultural policy in India; increased the status of farmers in the society; contributed to eradicate poverty, and hence, increased the contribution of agriculture sector to the economy.
Therefore, it’s a boon for the livelihood of the farmers.

Topics: GS-III: Economic Growth Development