Farmers Movement Archive

Centre aims to double farmers’ earnings by 2022: Javadekar

Panaji: Referring to the three farmers’ bills passed in Parliament, Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar said on Saturday that the Centre’s policy is to double farmers’ incomes by 2022, and that efforts are being made in this direction. He also said that there is no major agitation across the country over the bills, except in Punjab. “In Punjab, the agitation is because of politics,” he said. Javadekar met farmers at Chorao in Mayem constituency to brief them about the advantages of the three bills. The meeting is part of the Centre’s outreach to deploy Union ministers across the country to create awareness. The Union government passed three bills — the Farmers’ 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. The President has already assented to them. Addressing the farmers, Javadekar said the Union government has given 22 crore farmers soil health cards, which inform the farmers about advantages and disadvantages of soil. He also said that ‘Kissan credit cards’ have been given to farmers. Javadekar said that the Centre has allocated Rs 15 lakh crore for loans for farmers. “We have doubled farm loans, and the Modi government’s policy is to double farmers’ income by 2022,” he said. He also said that the minimum support price for food grains has increased in the state. Javadekar said that purchase of rice has started in Punjab. “While selling rice on one hand, they have continued the agitation in Punjab,” he said. Javadekar blamed the Punjab agitation on “Congress, AAP and Akalis”, adding that the bills give farmers choice regarding the sale of their products. The Union minister said that the government has allowed big companies to invest in agriculture, and farmers can benefit (from this) with better crop. He also said that the farmers of the country are strong, and that they should get “justice” for their crop. Javadekar appealed to the farmers to spread the policies of the Modi government that benefit them.

The Times of India

2020-10-04

Goa