Farmers Movement Archive

Can’t negate Central agricultural laws as per our Constitution: KCR

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has indicated that the Telangana Assembly will not enact any law to negate the three new farm bills of the Central government as that would not stand legal scrutiny, and would be mere eyewash. “The matter is sub-judice since the Supreme Court has stayed the laws now. States have no option but to implement the laws of the Central government and that is what our Constitution says,” he said. Mr. KCR was speaking in the Assembly on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s speech and replying to a few issues raised by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhatti Vikramarka. His response was to Mr. Bhatti’s suggestion that laws passed by Punjab, Rajasthan, Kerala and Chhattisgarh be studied and similar enactment be made in Telangana. He termed the exercise of other states mere eyewash that would yield nothing. At the same time, he said Telangana doesn’t want to adopt a confrontation attitude with the Centre but work with it to honour the federal structure. Mr. KCR also said that the Central government and PM Narendra Modi strongly believe that the new laws would help the farmers positively. “We don’t know what the Supreme Court will decide on it and what response would be of the Central government but laws cannot be negated by states,” he said. However, the State government believes in continuation of the Agricultural markets as they are established places for farmers, traders and other buyers to engage in business. Farm loan waiver The CM assured that the farm loan waiver would be done 100% as promised but in phases. Those with less than Rs. 25,000 loan have already benefited from the waiver and the remaining would get the benefit in phases. He said the government would also take the interest burden since the loan is being waived in phases. Hitting out at the Congress, he said no Congress-ruled State has implemented farm loan waiver despite promising it. “We have commitment towards farmers and it reflects in the 24-hour free power supply to the farming sector and also providing irrigation facilities that were denied to them in combined Andhra Pradesh,” he said reading out figures of how paddy cultivation has increased to more than 52 lakh acres this Yasangi, which was many-fold increase compared to 2014. We don’t know what the Supreme Court will decide on it and what response would be of the Central government but laws cannot be negated by states. KCR

The Hindu

2021-03-18

Hyderabad