Amit Shah hails cabinet decision of Rs 3,500 crore financial aid to Sugarcane Farmers

Amid the ongoing impasse between the protesting farm unions and the Central government, the latter has taken a decision on giving financial assistance to Sugarcane farmers. The Union Government in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday approved financial aid of Rs 3,500 crore which will be directly deposited into the bank account of the farmers. Hailing the "historic decision" Union Home Minister Amit Shah said it will help five crore sugarcane farmers as well as five lakh labourers in the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has hailed the 'historic cabinet decision on farmers.

'60 lakh metric tonnes of sugar export'

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, while addressing a press conference in this regard, said, "the Government has decided to export 60 lakh metric tonnes of Sugar and also provide subsidy to the sugarcane farmers, which will directly go to the farmers' accounts."

"Good news for the farmers is that the value of the export will also directly go to the farmers' accounts which will be to the tune of Rs 18,000 crore. Moreover, Rs 5,361 crore from the already declared subsidy will be transferred in one week. So Rs 3,500 crore subsidy and Rs 18,000 crore revenue from export plus Rs 5,361 crore from the already declared subsidy," Javadekar added.

Protests over farm laws continue

21 days into the protest against the three agrarian laws, the farmers' unions have reiterated their demands to withdraw the three farm laws, while contending that the laws are a threat to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism and APMC Mandi system. Moreover, with the freeing of the farm sector, farmers think they will be left to the mercy of the private sector entities. As the protests have been intensified, one side of the Delhi-Noida Link Road has been blocked at the Chilla border in Noida while the other Tikri and Singhu borders continue to remain chocked due to farmers' protests.

However, the Supreme Court on Wednesday intervened in the matter while hearing a petition of a law student who sought from the Apex court to remove the farmers protesting at several border points of Delhi for the last 21 days. Hearing the plea, the court directed that farmers unions be made a party to the case and also to form a committee to resolve the issue. The SC impleaded 8 farmer unions as respondents in the petitions seeking the removal of protestors from the borders at the national capital The SC monitored committee which will comprise of farmers unions and Government intermediaries.

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Some farmers' leaders support laws

However, in a breakthrough for the Centre on Tuesday, the UP-based Bharatiya Kisan Union (Kisan) decided to suspend their agitation pertaining to the farm laws for one month. While BKU (K) has not been part of the farmers' stir at the Delhi borders, it was holding protests at the district level in Uttar Pradesh. On Tuesday, a delegation comprising members from this farmers' union met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in the national capital and submitted a memo for backing the farm laws, but with certain amendments.

Also on Monday, 10 farmer leaders associated with the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) backed the three agrarian laws. These farm leaders then stated that some elements involved in the farmers' stir were trying to spread misconceptions about the agrarian laws among the protesters. These farmers leaders who were from several states such as Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar and Haryana met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday. In a differing stance from the protesting farmers, these farmers' representatives warned that they would hit the streets if the agrarian laws are repealed by the Centre.

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