Yet again, and now I wonder whether it is really a coincidence or my thoughts casually popped up, but whatever it is, I am again writing a review (movie) that has something to do with Amir Khan. Yes, watched PEEPLI Live (sorry for being late) and here I am, to write a review.

But I am not really interested in writing the movie review, not to undermine the brilliant work by the entire team (from script, cinematography, screenplay to the portrayal of media, everything is absolutely fantastic.

1. Farmers’ suicides

1. Party politics

   
   




2. Non-implemented government policies

   
   




3. Insensitive media

   
   

I think these four points sum this movie. But mind you, only movie not the entire situation that exists in India today.

Apart from this fact given in the movie, that 70% of the population is into agriculture out of which 50% are BPL. Let me give you some more facts.

318 million people do not have access to safe drinking water(Hand Pump touted as Lal Bahadur); 250 million people do not have access to basic medical care(ill grandmother); 630 million people do not have sanitation facilities (which were covered LIVE in PEEPLI LIVE); 260 millions are below poverty line-a poverty line defined by India(like Natha Cards) not by any global standards, over 300 million people in India are illetrate.51 percent of children are undernourished and INDIA has a HDI (Human Development Index) of 127 out 175 nations in the world. Unemployment in India is estimated at around 10 percent. India will add 325 million working population by 2016. (Source: “A Better India; a Better World: NR Narayana Murthy”)

Though I have more facts but I will restrict myself to these only and don’t worry I have not deviated from the topic which I started (I observed all of these in that movie). I will try to encompass the same issue with the facts that I had shared.

Now coming to the first and most important point-farmers’ suicides. Let’s get to its root cause first- not able to earn livelihood, infertile land, exploitation by the local landlords (zamindars), improper rains (except this season) et al. Though there may be more reasons but let me discuss some of the reasons in detail.

1. Farmers are not able to repay their loans, thus they become indebted to the money lenders and get exploited leading to a stressful life consequently ending their lives.

Though government has a constitutional obligation to ensure the survival of farmers, but mere loan waivers, giving small grants won’t solve this problem.

Here I would like to offer an optimistic view of mine which makes use of technology. What I have realized is that farmers don’t get the fair price of their produce when they go to sell it in markets or mandis. Secondly a lot of farmers are even not aware of how to , in what proportion a particular chemical or fertilizers is to be used, which many a times lead to destruction of their crops adding to their misery.

I would like to appreciate the initiative taken by TCS and many other companies for giving free guidance through cell-phones to the farmers in their local language. In fact a number of start-up have come to offer services like the prices of their produce, the quality of a particular fertilizer, the amount of its use, best place to sell in the vicinity, best conditions for a crop to grow and many other services. A start-up is offering a platform to sell their produce removing all the middle men. In a country of around 6 lakh village whatever is done remains small unless something substantial is done. Some of them have started and a lot is to be done to aware farmers to get best out of their land. Once they are empowered, to realize the worth of their produce, I think suicides cases can be reduced.