Punjab to take tough measures on any move of disbanding MSP, foodgrain marketing: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday said his government will take tough measures to counter any move to disband MSP system and creating obstruction in smooth agricultural marketing process.

chief minister said he will also write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, telling him that he should understand problems of farmers, having himself been chief minister of agricultural state of Gujarat.

" Centre has tried to bring change in our farming sector. I have told m that I do t agree with m on this issue," Singh said, while pointing out that it was Punjab that me a significant contribution in raising country's foodgrain output.

Centre h on Friday tified two key ordinances to kick in agriculture reforms and help farmers tre freely and fetch better prices.

Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 allows barrier-free tre in agriculture produce outside tified APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) mandis.

For last 60 years, this work (agricultural marketing process) is going on. What is need for bringing change in it, he said, ding that a record 127 lakh metric tonne of wheat was procured during this Rabi marketing season.

"What is use of creating obstruction in what Punjab is doing? I do t understand why Centre is doing this," chief minister said.

He said his government will take tough measures to counter move to obstruct smooth agricultural marketing processes that h worked successfully for 60 years. "We will deal strictly with this issue," he said during his Facebook Live edition of #AskCaptain.

chief minister expressed concern over Centre's intent to do away with minimum support system (MSP) regime.

"Talks are going on that MSP system will be stopped," he said, ding Punjab government would fight any such move tooth and nail, and would t allow interests of its farmers, who h given nation its food security, to be compromised in any manner.

He also dubbed ordinance on allowing barrier-free tre in agriculture sector as "violative" of federal structure. He h also warned that could pave way for disbanding minimum support price regime as well as foodgrain procurement regime, triggering unrest among state's farmers.

ordinance proposes to bar state governments from imposing taxes on sale and purchase of farm produce undertaken outside mandis and give farmers freedom to sell ir produce at remunerative prices.

Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 empowers farmers to eng with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers and exporters through vanced agreements on pre-agreed prices.

(Photo Credit: PTI)