The Bharatiya Kisan Union is a leading organisation highlighting the plight of farmers. What were the issues addressed by it in the nineties and to what extent were they successful ?

As a result of ‘green revolution’ in the 1960s, sugar and wheat became main cash crops in the region of western UP and Haryana. However, the cash crop market faced a crisis in mid-eighties due to the begining of the process of liberalisation of Indian economy. Under these circumstances the Bharatiya Kisan Union addressed the following issues to protect the interest of the farmers :

(i) Higher government floor prices for sugarcane and wheat;

(ii) Abolition of restrictions on the inter-state movement of farm produce;

(iii) Guaranteed supply of electricity at reasonable rates;

(iv) Waiving of repayments due on loans to farmers;

(v) The provision of a government pension for farmers.

The BKU operated as a pressure group in politics with its strength of sheer numbers. The organisation did manage to get some of their economic demands accepted. The farmers’ movement became one of the most successful social movements of the eighties in this respect.

1407 Views

Identify the reasons which led to the Chipko Movement in UP in early 1970s. What was the impact of this movement ?

Some of the statements below are incorrect. Identify the incorrect statements and rewrite those with necessary correction :

(a) Social movements are hampering the functioning of India’s democracy.

(b) The main strength of social movements lies in their mass base across social sections.

(c) Social movements in India emerged because there were many issues that political parties did not address.

Which of these statements are incorrect:
The Chipko Movement

was an environmental movement to prevent cutting down of trees.
raised questions of ecological and economic exploitation.
was a movement against alcoholism started by the women.
demanded that local communities should have control over their natural resources.

The anti-arrack movement in Andhra Pradesh drew the attention of the country to some serious issues. What were these issues ?

Rise of Popular Movements

The Bharatiya Kisan Union is a leading organisation highlighting the plight of farmers. What were the issues addressed by it in the nineties and to what extent were they successful ?