Farmers Movement Archive

State govt has taken concerns of farmers seriously: Governor

Chandigarh: Punjab governor V P Singh Badnore on Monday referred to the state government’s response to the unprecedented situation caused by Covid-19 crisis and the farm laws in his speech on the first day of the budget session of Punjab legislative assembly, adding that the three amendment legislations (to farm laws) were pending for presidential assent. “Though Covid-19 is at present under control, the farmers’ agitation and its resultant effect on the farming communities is causing a lot of anxiety among the common man…You are all aware that the devastation caused by the pandemic Covid-19 and, thereafter the agitation against three new farm laws enacted by the Government of India led to quite an unprecedented situation in the state,” he said in his customary speech. The governor said, “The farmers of the state feel that the three new farm legislations do not address their concerns of stagnating incomes as a result of saturating productivity. They apprehend that these laws would disrupt the time-tested agriculture marketing systems established under the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961. There are also apprehensions about the dismantling of the government procurement of foodgrains at the minimum support price (MSP).” “My government has taken these concerns of the farmers seriously. After discussions with all political parties of the state as also the farmers’ unions, this august House has twice passed resolutions on 28th August 2020 and 19th October 2020, urging upon the Government of India to withdraw these legislations, and continue with the existing MSP systems,” he said. He added, “The House had passed three amendment legislations to mitigate the anticipated adverse impact of the central laws. These legislations are pending for presidential assent under Article 254 of the Constitution.” “My government strongly feels that the enactment of these three central laws is against the principles of cooperative federalism as agriculture is a state subject under entry 14 of List II of Schedule 7 of the Constitution. The state chief minister has time and again also urged the Prime Minister to reconsider these laws, concede to the demand of the farmers, and withdraw these new legislations,” he said. The governor also referred to another amendment legislation titled ‘‘The Code of Civil Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020” passed by the Punjab assembly to provide for non-attachment of agricultural land up to 2.5 acres, so as to secure the livelihood of the farmers. This legislation is also pending for the assent of the President of India,” he said. “..My government is fully alive to the concerns of the farmers in the State as they are the pivot of the State’s economy. We will not let the farmers and the farm workers suffer in any manner. The government is unequivocally committed to continuing the free supply of electricity to the farmers,” he added.

The Times of India

2021-03-02

Chandigarh