मुझसे मेरा पता न पूछो

मैं एक बंजारा हूँ |

तेरी गलियों से गुजरा था

उस एहसास से भीगा हूँ |

रुखी-सी पूरबा थी

मगर फिर भी बारिश हुई |

तब तेरी झलक देखी थी मैंने

और आज उसी के सहारे जिन्दा हूँ |

तेरी चुनरी का रंग याद नहीं मुझे

मैं तो तेरी आँखों का दीवाना था |

तूने हलके से होठ फड़फड़ाये थे

शायद मेरा नाम लिया होगा |

तनहा चलते-चलते अपनी उंगलिओं के बीच

तेरी उंगलियाँ महसूस किया करता हूँ |

आज मद्धम-सी हवाओं में पत्तों के बीच बैठ कर

तेरी आहट का इंतज़ार कर रहा हूँ |

Some thoughts

Heavy agriculture subsidies are not actually reaching out to Indian farmers. And there is huge gap between Minimum Support Price and market prices. So, inflation is actually cost-pulled but hoarding and black-marketing disguises it as demand-pulled. Food distribution system has reached a deadlock and high subsidy is converting agriculture to an artificial business where the businessman is promised a cheap input, cheap output and a costly world to thrive in.

Why can't we use centralized system to monitor food distribution system? Every wholesale marketer and trader in food distribution system is licensed and registered. We can develop some software in which each registered trader feeds information about his stock online. This can be done across the country with use of out IT capabilities. Now, in case of exorbitant prices shooting up in some areas of the country, we can instantly check the stock of that food item. In case of discrepancy, raids can be carried out searching for hoarders. Also, parts of country showing available stock can be mobilized to send the food item in demand.

I think, the food inflation in our country can be checked by keeping the difference between 'Minimum Support Price' and 'market price' low. Farmers will be more benefited by increased Minimum Support Price than heavy subsidies (but direct subsidies need to be maintained).