(a) whether the Government has any proposal to scrap/repeal Agri laws in near future;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not the reasons therefor; and
(d) whether some efforts have been made to end Agriculture protests and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (c): The New Farm laws viz, “The Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020”, “The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020” and “The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, are intended to provide an ecosystem where the farmers can enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale of farmers'' produce which facilitates remunerative prices to farmers through competitive alternative channels for selling their produce. These farm Acts will facilitate direct buying from farmers in trade area by traders, processors, exporters, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), agriculture co-operative Societies etc., so as to facilitate farmers with better price realization due to shortening of supply chain and reduction in marketing cost to enhance their income.
Farm laws will accelerate more investment in marketing and value addition infrastructure near to farm gate creating more employment opportunities for rural youth. Farm laws provide additional marketing opportunities outside the APMC market yards such as farm-gates, cold storages, warehouse, silos, etc. to help farmers get better remunerative prices due to additional competition.
“The Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020” is intended to promote competition and transparency in trade by way of facilitation of electronic trading system in trade area for facilitating remunerative prices to farmers.
The Farming agreement i.e “The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020” will enable scaling of investment by industry for production and processing of high value agriculture produces and give fillip to exports. The framework will also mitigate the risks for the farmers, enhance their income and will put in place an effective and conducive policy regime for agreements.
Farm Acts provides sufficient safeguard mechanism to protect the interest of farmers including that of small and marginal farmers. Simple, accessible, quick and cost effective dispute resolution mechanism is prescribed at local Sub-divisional level and deterring penal provisions have been provided against traders to prevent and curb any violation of the Act by them.
“The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020”, encourages investment in supply chain and marketing infrastructure including that in storage facilities to create rural employment.
(d): Some of the farmers’ unions have been protesting against newly enacted Farm laws and their main demands of agitating farmers’ unions regarding the three farm laws, were for their repeal viz. “The Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020”, “The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020” & “The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020”. Various efforts have been made by Government to end the protests.
Government engaged itself actively and constantly with the agitating farmers unions to end the protests and 11 rounds of negotiating talks were held between the Government & agitating farmer unions to resolve the issues. Details of the meetings are at Annexure-I.
Giving top priority to the interest of farmers, Government vide letter dated 09th December, 2020 addressed to Farmer Unions, explained point by point, how the concerns expressed by the farmers were being taken care of in the proposal of the Government of India. Government also proposed to constitute a small group consisting of representative of farmers’ unions, who can deliberate on Farm Laws clause-wise in a time bound manner and can also consider other issues related to farmers.
However, Farmer Unions never agreed to discuss excepting for demanding their repeal.
Government is always open to discussion with farmers Union and will remain open to discussion with agitating farmers to resolve the issue.