Farm reforms not done in a jiffy: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said farm reform legislations were brought in after elaborate stakeholder consultations and a lot of homework, and will benefit farmers.

Asserting that reforms were t done in a jiffy, she said agriculture minister is meeting farmers with an open mind and hoped that a solution will be found soon.

"Between 2014-2020, we have proven that we take MSP (Minimum Support Price) seriously," she said.

Sitharaman said that agriculture ministry has gone through process of talking to stakeholders and se are things that have been in discussions for very long time.

She also said that national parties, state level parties have all mentioned it at different times that se are reforms which were long awaited.

"Many Parliamentary committees have also discussed some aspects... it is t something which is just done in a jiffy. y have gone through grind for sometime," she said.

Sitharaman said that if re are farmers who have some doubt, "I am gl agriculture minister is engaging in a meaningful conversation with m with an open mind. I am sure something will come out of it".

On MSP, she said that between 2014 and 2020, compared to similar numbers of years previously, government has proven that it takes MSP "seriously".

"We procure under MSP much more than what earlier governments' have done. We have allotted and also directly given farmers a lot more money under MSP than what was done before," she ted.

"More money, more crops being procured only proves that intention of government has been that MSP continues, APMCs continue. So doubts on those need t be re," minister said.

government and agitating farmer unions have so far failed to end standoff over new farm laws as protestors have refused to budge on ir demands. Ar round of discussions is scheduled to be held on Saturday in a bid for a resolution.

Enacted in September, laws have been projected by government as major reforms in agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell ir produce anywhere in country.

protesting farmers have expressed apprehensions that new laws would pave way for eliminating safety cushion of MSP and scrap mandis, leaving m at mercy of big corporates. Centre has repeatedly asserted that se mechanisms will remain.