Farmers Movement Archive

‘It’s a protest by middlemen from Punjab & Western UP’

Kochi: The ongoing protest in the national capital against the three farm laws passed by the central government is not “a farmers’ protest but a mere movement” by the middlemen who is afraid of losing the profits they would make if the laws are implemented, said R K Singh, Union minister of state (independent charge) for power, new and renewable energy. While addressing a news conference in Kochi, Singh said that there is nothing “anit-kisan” in the farm laws. “What we are seeing in Delhi in not a ‘Kisan andolan’ but a protest by middlemen in the farm sector. It is a movement by the middlemen from only one-and-a-half states Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh. They have been making huge profits as middlemen and there is no need to let it continue. The bills let farmers to sell their products in a wider market without middlemen’s help. Neither the opposition parties nor farmers could specifically say what provisions in the farm bills are anti-kisan in nature. Moreover, the protest is regional and it is not happening across India,” Singh said. Singh was meeting the media as part of highlighting the features of the Union budget 2021-22, which is seen as part of the NDA campaign, ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in the state. He said that he was “totally happy with the budget” as it announced so many proposals for the development of power sector in the country. “The power consumption in the country has increased by 13% (1.86 lakh GW) compared to last year as per October 2020 reports. And it further increased to 1.89 lakh GW in January 2021. It points out the growth of our economic sector. India now has power surplus and is exporting power to neighbouring countries. The government is taking several measures to strengthen the energy sector and India’s rate of achievements in the renewable energy sector is the world’s highest. India became an investment hub and received 64 billion USD worth investments in the last five years,” he said Singh also said that India will have 60% of its power production from renewable energy sector by 2030. He said the power distribution sectors in most states are not effective and the government will start de-licensing in the sector to boost competition among the distribution companies. “The competition will be focused on offering most effective service at lowest cost,” he added.

The Times of India

2021-02-08

Kochi