New Delhi, Dec 3 (Reporter) Farmers in distress and farmers in agitation does not augur well for overall well-being of the Nation, Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar said at the Centenary Foundation Day of ICAR-CIRCOT in Mumbai. His hard-hitting and thought-provoking words come at a time when the farmers have given a call for agitation and are ready to enter the National Capital to get their demands met which include a law giving Minimum Support Price (MSP) Guarantee. “I fail to understand why we cannot work out a formula in consultation with economists and think tanks that will reward our farmers,” he said, adding why only reward even what is due to these farmers is not being paid to them. The nation is not paying even what was “promised” to them. I do not understand why there is no dialogue with the farmers...My concern is why this initiative has not happened so far, he said, asking the Union for Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take care of this. He was addressing the agriculturists, scientists on the occasion of Centenary Foundation Day of ICAR-CIRCOT. Why the farmer is stressed? This is a serious matter, the Vice President said, adding that this means “we are not practical; our policy-making is not on the right track.” Distinguished scientists, I can tell you that what I have told you is 5% of my feelings. I'm tied to the constitutional office I hold. I am not expressing myself fully, but the nation has to rise to do full and complete justice to the farmer, to rural India. Get your economists on board. A nation will pay a huge price if we try the patience of a farmer, he said. We have to define our priorities, I am so sorry. But what I see before my eyes is lack of directional approach, he said and asked “Can we create a boundary between the farmer and the government?’ The nation can take pride in its achievements. It is very convenient to receive accommodation, but this is an occasion of introspection; this is an occasion of auditing; this is an occasion of auditing of self-realisation; this is an occasion to put the strategy in place. I will call upon the Director-General and appeal to the Honourable Minister, the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, all its affiliates, universities, research centres must be firing on all cylinders to work for a situation to bring about economic prosperity to the farmer. Kisan (farmer) must be encouraged to have micro and medium-scale industries at his farmland to add value to his product. India's farming sector is central to the nation's economy. Its reach is unmatchable with such a wave of excellent research institutions ICAR has potential, Please exploit this potential. You have over 180 institutes, agriculture universities spread across the country. Not only you are one of the largest National Agricultural System, you are the largest in the world. Farmers in distress and farmers in agitation does not augur well for overall well-being of the Nation. India has potential to generate thrice the impact on poverty reduction compared to other sectors and driving half of India's consumption through agro-processing and rural services, Dhankhar said adding the nation must work on it and pay the farmer what is due to the community...////...