Stop stubble burning: cooperative federalism and farm reforms can do the trick

livemint.com:

insurance is shared by both governments, farm-loan waivers are mostly absorbed by states. If the governance of APMC markets is influenced by states, the responsibility of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana lies with the Centre. This scheme may consider the distribution of millets and pulses as well, which would have implications for food stocks.

Thus, any institutional arrangement must honour the principle of cooperative federalism between the Centre and states. The Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council is an example. Similarly, an Agricultural and Food Marketing (AFM) Council could be set up under the aegis of the Niti Aayog.

It may be chaired by the Union minister of agriculture and its members could include the agriculture ministers of all states and Union territories, as well as representatives of political parties. The public postures of lawmakers may differ depending on whether they’re with the ruling party or the opposition. However, closed-door meetings of the Council can hold frank discussions on pertinent issues in a collegial setting.

The Council could consult experts and civil servants and facilitate negotiations among states and between the Centre and states, before a bill is tabled in Parliament. Such a process will turn out to be a non-zero sum game with a high rate of success. Let’s hope that the Sun does not look like a full moon in Delhi next Diwali!