Amid massive protests and huge uproar , the Rajya Sabha on Sunday passed The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. The bills were passed by the Lok Sabha on September 17.
The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to provide freedom to farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.
The second bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, provides for a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services
Opposition parties led by the Congress criticised the farm bills, saying they will not sign on the “death warrant” of farmers.
The opposition charged that the two bills are aimed at benefitting big corporates and ending the minimum price based procurement by the government.
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda told Rajya Sabha: “As a farmer, I am really concerned with issues related to the farm bills. The entire house, all of us are concerned about farmers. Farmers are the backbone of the country. The prime minister should explain why there’s a hurry to pass the bills amid the pandemic. He should explain what would farm bills do for the farming community in the short and long term and how it will help in achieving the government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income.”
K K Ragesh (CPI-M), Derek O’Brien (TMC), Trichi Siva (DMK) and K C Venugopal (Congress) moved resolutions for sending the two bills to a select committee of the House for consideration before they are taken up for passage.
Meanwhile, farmers in Haryana began their protest against the agriculture-related farm bills on Sunday amid elaborate security arrangements which have been made to ensure that the event passes off smoothly.
Speaking on the bill, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar clarified that the procurement at Minimum Support Price will continue, rate of MSP has been increased considerably during 2014-2020 and MSP for coming Rabi season will be announced in coming week. The Union Agriculture Minister said that full protection has been ensured to farmers in these legislations.
