In BloombergQuint article, Shankkar Aiyar, Visting Fellow at IDFC Institute, argues that agitations among powerful communities in various states for getting reservation quotas can be attributed to the collapse in agriculture in India. Excerpts are below:

"The idea of doubling farm income by 2022 is a good place to kickstart the action. The pieces of the jigsaw are visible. Credit, insurance, and subsidies for inputs can be delivered via the Aadhaar-based payment platforms. The idea of Startup India could be deployed for delivering services - soil tests, drip irrigation and hybrid powered farm equipment. The success of e-commerce could be leveraged to create an open access market for perishables. India must also shed paranoia and open up to the idea of contract farming – perhaps as a PPP (public-private partnership) with a robust regulatory mechanism. It will open up access to credit, inputs, and markets, and deliver predictability."

Read the complete article here.