Published 16:47 IST, September 28th 2020
Farm bill row: 32 former bureaucrats laud Centre's 'game-changer', slam vested interests
A group of 32 former civil servants slammed vested interests for trying to misguide and incite the farmers over the three agrarian bills passed by Parliament.
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On Monday, a group of 32 former civil servants slammed vested interests for trying to misguide and incite the farmers over the three agrarian bills passed by the Parliament. In a statement, they lauded the Centre for liberating the farming community from the shackles of exploitative practices that hampered their progress. According to them, the important takeaways from the bills are the continuation of the Minimum Support Price system, removal of interstate and intrastate restrictions in the sale of produce, elimination of the exploitation by middlemen, encouragement to contract farming and relaxation of restrictions on the storage of agriculture produce.
The ex-bureaucrats argued that it is objectionable to suggest that the interests of the farmers are being bartered in favour of multinational companies in the wake of "categorical assurances" from PM Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. In a veiled dig at the Congress party, they recalled that political forces that are now opposing the farm bills had included similar reforms in their election manifesto. Extending support to the well-meaning efforts of the Union government, they alleged that there is an attempt to destabilise the country and create disaffection among the minorities, students and farmers.
Here are the signatories to the statement:
What are the farm bills?
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. Both these bills were passed in the Rajya Sabha on September 20 despite considerable ruckus by the opposition.
The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was cleared by the Upper House on September 22. This bill specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise, and natural calamity of a grave nature. The aforesaid three bills were signed by President Ram Nath Kovind on September 27.
(Image credits: PTI)
16:47 IST, September 28th 2020