Punjab Govt allows farmers from other States to sell produce amid opposition to agri laws

As the impasse between the farmers and the Centre continues over the three contentious farm laws, the Punjab government has allowed farmers from other states to sell their produce in Punjab, therefore implementing the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020. This comes despite CM Amarinder Singh-led administration's stern opposition to the three farm laws. The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 (one of the three farm laws being opposed by farmers) aims at freeing farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. 

'Only farmers allowed to sell produce'

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday morning, Punjab Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Bharat Bhushan Ashu confirmed that the state had opened its doors for farmers from neighbouring regions to sell their produce in Punjab. However, he maintained that the administration has given its nod to only farmers and not traders or middlemen. While the Punjab government had passed three bills to nullify the effect of the three farm laws passed by the Centre, the bills passed by the state assembly are yet to be ratified by the Governor. Following the Governor's refusal to ratify the three bills, CM Amarinder Singh had also met President Ram Nath Kovind to seek the implementations of three farm bills passed by the Punjab Assembly. 

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Apart from the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Centre had also passed two other laws which have been vehemently opposed by the Congress government in Punjab. These are - The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 which protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 which specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.  

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Centre-farmers stalemate continues 

The stalemate over the agrarian laws continued as the 8th round of talks between the farmers' unions and the Centre held on Monday could not yield any outcome. Agri unions' leaders have refused for the clause-by-clause discussion of the three contentious farm laws. The farmers' representatives remain stern on their demand for a complete repeal of the three laws and have also rejected any proposed amendments by the Union Government. The Centre-led by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Som Prakash had pushed for a clause-by-clause discussion of the three farm laws. 

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Meanwhile, farmers continue to protest at borders of the national capital and have also announced plans to intensify their agitation, if the meeting on Monday is not conclusive. On Sunday, the agitators said that they would celebrate the festival of Lohri on January 13 by burning copies of newly introduced agriculture laws. The protesting farmer unions on Saturday had said they will take out a tractor parade towards Delhi on January 26.

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