Peasant's body doubts credibility of Kissan Card

Hari Welfare Association (HWA), a non-profit organisation working for the rights of peasants, has contended that the Sindh government's Kissan Card initiative is unlikely to benefit the farm workers who do not own land.

The association's president Akram Khaskheli said in a statement on Monday that the peasants who mostly offer their labour to the landlords on the basis of sharing crops will not be able to avail the card.

Through the card, which was one of the promises made during the election campaign by Pakistan Peoples Party's Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the farmers will receive subsidies, loans and insurance in addition to disaster relief. They will also get preference during the government wheat procurement.

At a provincial cabinet meeting last week, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had said that the provincial government would start issuing the card within six months. The farmers owning up to 12 acres of land which are cultivated by the owners themselves will be eligible for the card. The government is going to start the survey and registration work for the purpose this month. The information about demographics, contact details, crops, landholding patterns, livestock, irrigation system and mechanisation will be collected.

Khaskheli although appreciated the initiative to the extent that it will be advantageous for the small farmers, he opposed omission of the peasants. According to him, during its previous tenure in the Sindh government the PPP had promised to introduce 'Hari Cards' which were supposed to be given to peasants. But that idea seems to have been shelved.

He looked askance at the government's capacity and intention to enlist all the small farmers particularly those who are often affected by droughts and disasters. Khaskheli said, the farmers associated with the ruling party's local leaders, are more likely to benefit from the scheme.

"But millions of landless peasants who not only cultivate and harvest crops but also invest on inputs are being disregarded by the government." He demanded that the government should register peasants as agriculture sector's labour under the Sindh Tenancy Act and that women peasants can also be registered under Sindh Agriculture Women Workers Act, 2019. He said, this exercise should be launched without further ado so that in addition to the small farmers, all other peasants also get financial support and relief from the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2024.