Vol. 6, Issue 10, Part P (2020)

Abstract
Agriculture in India is a State subject, and as has been observed in past years, policies and programs vary from one State to the other. Waiver of farm loans, evidences suggest, have not fully benefitted the majority of small and marginal farmers. Rather, it affects the future credit behavior of the borrowers and thus negatively impacts the agricultural credit culture altogether. As the kharif (rainy/wet) season is fast approaching, institutional lending of crop loans should be expanded and facilitated for smooth (and sufficient) flow of credit to borrowing farmers. Agri-inputs, seeds, fertilizers, agro-chemicals, etc. have to be pre-positioned for easy availability. Private sector must play a significant role with necessary policy support. Lack of planning and preparation by the Central government for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a massive blow to India’s economy and has caused enormous hardships to working people of the country. The informal rural economy has been hit the hardest by this. Central government’s refusal to acknowledge the crisis and their mis-management in handling it has aggravated the suffering of people and has deepened the crisis further.