After Nearly A Year Of Protests And Over 600 Deaths, All Three Farm Laws Are To Be Scrapped
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the three farm laws enacted last year, over which thousands of farmers have been protesting will be repealed.?
"We tried at all levels to take them into confidence. We were also prepared to modify the sections that they had objections about. I apologise to the countrymen that we were unable to take a section of farmers into confidence," PM Modi said in his televised address to the nation.
"On the occasion of Guru parav, the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws," the PM said as he appealed the protesting farmers to end their demonstration and go back to the fields.
Three farms laws
Farmers have been protesting the government's three farm laws since had passed the Farmer's 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 three farm laws are-- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act provides for setting up a mechanism allowing the farmers to sell their farm produces outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs). Any licence-holder trader can buy the produce from the farmers at mutually agreed prices. This trade of farm produces will be free of mandi tax imposed by the state governments.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act allows farmers to do contract farming and market their produces freely.
The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act is an amendment to the existing Essential Commodities Act.?
Will continue to work for farmers
During his address, the Prime Minister said, "When the country gave us the opportunity to serve as Pradhan Sevaks in 2014, we gave top priority to agricultural development and farmer welfare. Many people are unaware of the truth that 80 per cent are small scale farmers who have less than 2 hectares of land and are over 10 crores in population. This piece of land is their survival."
"To overcome the challenges of the small farmers of the country, we worked all-round on seeds, insurance, markets and savings. Along with good quality seeds, the government also connected the farmers with facilities like neem coated urea, soil health card and micro-irrigation. Many steps were also taken for the farmers to get the right price for their produce in return for their hard work. The country strengthened its rural market infrastructure," he stated.
He said the government not only increased the MSP (Minimum Support Price) but also created record government procurement centres.
"We worked to provide farmers with seeds at reasonable rates and facilities like micro-irrigation, 22 crore soil health cards. Such factors have contributed to increased agriculture production. We strengthened Fasal Bima Yojana, brought more farmers under it," PM Modi said.
Welcome step says farmers
Bharatiyan Kisan Union's (BKU) Ugrahan faction on Friday welcomed PM Modi's announcement.
"It is a good move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Gurupurab," Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the leader of BKU's Ugrahan faction, told PTI.
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