Anti-farmer and anti-labour policies of the government have forced mass migration from Bihar, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha says
NEW DELHI – As the first phase of Bihar elections got underway on Thursday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has appealed to farmers and labourers across the state to “punish” the ruling NDA for what it described as systematic exploitation and economic neglect over the last decade.
In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, the farmers’ joint platform accused the Nitish Kumar–Narendra Modi “double-engine government” of presiding over a massive loss of farmer income through denial of fair prices and minimum support.
According to SKM, paddy, wheat, and maize farmers in Bihar suffered a staggering loss of ₹9,904.71 crore in 2024–25 due to the government’s failure to ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) at the Swaminathan Commission-recommended rate of C2+50%. “In the past ten years, these farmers have incurred losses amounting to ₹71,000 crore,” the statement said, claiming the situation on the ground may be even worse.
Much of this crisis, SKM argues, traces back to the abolition of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act in 2006 by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The move effectively dismantled the formal Krishi Mandi network in the state. As a result, the MSP declared by the Centre has become “a mere paper figure,” with only 5% of Bihar’s farmers benefiting from it, compared to over 90% in Punjab and Haryana.
The figures paint a grim picture: in the last decade, the government has procured just 25% of the state’s paddy and less than 1% of its wheat. On average, farmers receive prices 30% below the notified MSP. Bihar’s farm households now earn half the national average income—and only a quarter of Punjab’s.
The exploitation is not limited to cultivators alone. ASHA, Anganwadi, and midday meal workers in Bihar earn far below the national and state benchmarks. For instance, as of July 2025, midday meal workers earn just ₹1,650 per month—compared to ₹14,400 in Kerala. This wage disparity amounts to an annual loss of more than ₹6,278 crore in Bihar alone. Anganwadi and ASHA workers also face significant wage suppression, reportedly losing ₹877 crore and ₹590 crore annually, respectively.
The crisis prevails even in schemes meant to shield the most vulnerable, such as MNREGA, which has failed to deliver the mandated 100 days of employment due to inadequate budget allocation. Workers in Bihar are able to access only 48.8 days of paid labour per year under the scheme.
“Anti-farmer and anti-labour policies have forced mass migration from Bihar,” the SKM statement said, adding that farmers and workers have been “continuously struggling” against these policies.
With elections underway, the Morcha condemned the NDA’s move to transfer ₹10,000 into women’s accounts as a “delayed and inadequate bribe,” warning that voters would not be swayed from remembering “years of loot.”
“The farmers and labourers of Bihar will not forget, and will punish the NDA government at the ballot box,” the statement declared.
