Owaisi slams govt's Central law on agriculture, claims 'Centre's overreach on state issue'

Slamming the Centre's third economic tranche announced on Friday focused on agriculture, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi stated that agriculture was a state subject under the Constitution. Opposing the Central law to enable farmers to sell directly in the market, he alleged that the Centre was using inter-state trade as an excuse to encroach on state's exclusive powers. Opining a Central law may diminish legislative and administrative powers of states from Centre's powers, Owaisi warned the government's overreach.

Centre rolls out 11 measures for farmers, fishermen & animals in third economic tranche

Owaisi slams govt's over-reach on agriculture

Coronavirus Live Updates: India's cases at 81970; Centre rolls out 11 agricultural reforms

Agricultural reforms announced

Earlier in the day, the Centre rolled out its third tranche of economic measures with 11 announcements on Friday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced 11 measures - of which 8 of them focused on strengthening infrastructure, capacities and building better logistics in Agriculture, Fisheries and animal husbandry, while the rest 3 pertained to governance and administrative reforms. Agricultural reforms included rolling out schemes to finance farming infrastructure, micro food enterprises, fishermen, animal health, dairy infrastructure, herbal cultivation, bee-keeping and food supply chain management. 

On the governance measures, the Centre announced that it will amend the  Essential Commodities Act which was enacted in 1955 to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making agriculture sector competitive. It also will agriculture marketing reforms to provide marketing choices to farmers via a Central law to provide - Adequate choices to the farmer to sell the product at an attractive price, barrier-free inter-state trade, a framework for e-trading of agriculture produce. Apart from these two measures, the government announced that it will create a legal framework that will enable farmers for engaging with processors and aggregators, large retailers, exporters in a transparent way. 

Chidambaram slams Centre's third economic tranche, claims 'fiscal stimulus is zero'

PM Modi's Rs 20.lakh crore booster

On Tuesday, PM Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore economic package - including the previous monetary package and the liquidity measures announced by RBI till date (amounting to 10.26 lakh crore) to kickstart Indian economy's growth. He has also stated that the lockdown will be extended post-May 18, but will have relaxed restrictions. Currently, India's COVID-19 tally stands at 81970, with 27920 recoveries and 2649 fatalities.

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