Farmers Movement Archive

Maharashtra to withdraw farm laws in winter session

The Maharashtra government will repeal the farm laws that were tabled in the monsoon session to negate the three controversial laws, which were rolled back by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The state government is expected to withdraw them in the ensuing winter session.Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said that since the original laws have been repealed, there is no need to pass the bills. “The decision will be taken in a meeting of group of ministers, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar,” he stated.Meanwhile, farmer unions are also of the opinion that the bills introduced should be withdrawn. “The bills are just milder versions of the central laws and we had objected to them. It allowed the price below MSP with mutual consent and non-lifting of the produce was not part of the harassment definition. We objected to the power the government had in terms of essential commodities. They should now be immediately withdrawn,” said Ajit Nawale, general secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha.Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dadaji Bhuse said that the decision would be taken by the ministerial committee. “We may say that the bills have no relevance now. Maharashtra government had in the past taken decisions and amended laws related to the marketing of agricultural produce,” he added. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government-led Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray introduced three bills to counter the controversial central laws amid the farmers’ protest. The bills had the provisions for higher MSP for produce in farming agreement with traders, timely payment of dues, three-year jail term and ₹5 lakh fine or both for harassment of farmers. It has the provision to give power to the state to regulate and prohibit production, supply, distribution and impose stock limits of essential commodities.After the laws- Essential Commodities (Amendment), Farmers (Empowerment and Protection), Guarantee Price; Agriculture Related Agreements (Maharashtra Amendment) and Amendments to Central Government Farmer Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation)- were tabled in both the houses.

Hindustan Times

19-11-2021

Mumbai