Delhi. In an attempt to turn the disaster into an opportunity, the Modi government, with the mantra of ‘Vocal for Local’, started the self-sufficient India campaign in the Corona era, keeping the village, the poor and the farmer at its center and all the schemes and programs related to them Special emphasis was given. In this series, the government implemented three new laws related to agriculture through ordinance to implement programs for agricultural reform. But there is a dispute between the farmer and the government regarding these laws.
After the passage of the three important bills related to agriculture in both houses of the monsoon session of Parliament, they were called the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Agreement Act 2020 and Essential Commodities The (Amendment) Act of 2020 came into force in September. But through the ordinance, these laws came into force from June 5.
The government says that with the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, farmers have got another option to sell their produce besides APMC mandis operated in the states and mandis operated by the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) in the states There is no duty on buying and selling outside the farmers, farmers will get a fair price for their products. However, farmers holding the path of movement believe that corporate buyers outside APMC may give them good prices for a few years, but when APMC mandis are destroyed, the corporate buyers of private mandis will be forced to sell them crops at a paltry price. Will have to. He has reservations about certain provisions of this law. However, the government has assured a uniform tariff arrangement with a view to bring in equity within and outside the APMC-run mandis. The government has also assured the farmers to include provisions to address the other objections of the farmers related to the law.
The government says that the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Agreement Act 2020 will benefit small farmers as they will be able to enter into crop agreements with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers and exporters, and the price of the crop is already in place. It will be fixed, so that even if the market price of the crop is low at the time of harvesting, the farmers will get the price fixed in the agreement. Also, new technology, seeds and other means will provide sponsors to farmers, which is difficult for small farmers. However, farmers fear that they may be deprived of ownership of their land in this contract of farming. The government has clarified on this that the agreement will be to the crop and not to the farm. In this law also, the government has assured to consider the suggestions of the farmers.
Through the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, the government has excluded grains, pulses, potatoes, onions, edible oil and oilseeds from the category of essential commodities. According to the new legal provisions, stock limits can be imposed on them only under special circumstances. It is said that the purpose of getting these items out of government control is to expand their storage, processing facilities, which will only benefit the farmers.
The Modi government has given a boost to the agriculture sector in the current budget for the current fiscal year 2020-21, before bringing new laws for agricultural sector reform and various programs for agriculture and allied sectors under the self-sufficient India campaign in the Corona era. A 16-point action plan was announced for giving. Under these announcements, to promote agricultural exports, the proclamation of running peasant rail in the PPP mode for transporting agricultural products ranging from agricultural flying to perishable.
In the Corona era, the announcement of the agriculture infrastructure fund of Rs 1 lakh crore by the central government is being considered as a major step towards agricultural reform. This will create the basic post harvest management infrastructure ie Post Harvest Management Infrastructure which will ultimately benefit the farmers.
Important decisions taken by the Modi government in 2020 to promote agriculture and increase the income of farmers are important three new agricultural laws which the government is not ready to withdraw in any case and from 26 November on the borders of Delhi. The protesting farmers’ organizations are adamant on repealing the three laws.
After several rounds of negotiations between the government and farmer organizations, the next round of negotiations is now proposed by the farmers on December 29. The mechanism adopted for repeal of the three central agricultural laws is the first among the four issues involved in the agenda that has been sent to the government for the next round of talks by the farmers’ organizations.
In addition, they want to negotiate with the government on the procedure and provision to provide legal guarantee for procurement on profitable MSAP suggested by National Farmers Commission for all farmers and agricultural commodities. The other two issues proposed for the next round of negotiations include the Commission Ordinance for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, amendments in 2020 that are necessary to exclude farmers from the penal provisions of the ordinance and the interests of farmers The draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 for defense includes necessary changes.
In such a situation, there will be waiting for the end of the agitation on agrarian reform started by the Modi government in the end of the year 2020.
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