Farmers Movement Archive

Farm reforms taken up after adequate preparation: PM

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the government had taken up farm reforms after adequate preparation while flagging off the 100th run of the Kisan Rail service from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal. Modi said this service opens a huge avenue for lakhs of small farmers of West Bengal and the local small businessman. Citing how the government had made announcements for starting Kisan Rail and Krishi Udaan for faster movement of perishable farm produce in the last budget, Modi said, “We have gone ahead with agriculture reforms only after strong preparation (pukta tayyari)…To ensure more employment in rural areas and better lives of farmers there is a need to have new solutions and new facilities. With this aim we are taking up farm reforms, one after another.” He said experts in the field of agriculture and experiences from other countries and new technology are being incorporated into Indian agriculture. Speaking on the occasion, Union agriculture minister, Narendra Singh Tomar also said while framing new farm laws or amending the existing ones, the government’s intention has been to pursue the aim of doubling farmers income, increase the share of agriculture in country’s GDP, bring private investment and remove legal restrictions on farmers. Modi also said the government is committed to protect the interest of small and marginal farmers as he highlighted how 80% of the beneficiaries of Kisan Rail are from these groups. He said since there is no requirement of minimum quantity to avail this facility, farmers can send small parcels of their produce by the Kisan Rail at subsidised fare. He said the smallest consignment by a Kisan Rail was only 3 kg pomegranate and another was 17 dozen eggs. “This simply proves how our policies and intentions are clean (niyat aur niti saaf hai) to safeguard the interest of small and marginal farmers,” he said. PM said the government was working towards providing the Kisan Rail service across the country to ensure this convenient and cheaper mode of transport provides connectivity to all markets. Highlighting the increasing demand of Kisan Rail, Modi claimed it shows how the government “is on the right track”.

The Times of India

2020-12-29

India