Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers will not lose land under new agri bills, assures Rupala

RAJKOT: Union minister of state for agriculture Parshottam Rupala, on Saturday termed the allegations that by allowing contract farming under the new agriculture bill farmers will be rendered landless, as baseless.Speaking to media persons in Rajkot, the junior minister said, “It is a baseless argument that farmers will lose the right to cultivate on their own land with the passing of the new bill. There is no provision in the bill that forces farmers to sell their land. The bill doesn’t permit investors to take possession of the land.” Rupala also said that many farmers currently engaged in contract farming will get protection under the new law. “The new law makes farmers capable of signing agreements with processors, wholesalers, aggregators, retailers and exporters. This will give farmers opportunity to compete with others in the market,” said the minister. Rupala further said, “The current model of APMCs for auctioning of farm produce will continue to function and the government will continue to procure farm produce at minimum support price. (MSP).” The passage of bills — Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, by both houses of the Parliament has triggered large-scale protest by farmers, who see the bills as anti-farmer.

The Times of India

2020-10-04

Rajkot