Published 18:48 IST, January 31st 2021
'Misinformed of facts': Narendra Tomar counters Sharad Pawar's list of issues on farm laws
Rebutting Sharad Pawar's claims, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday, said that Pawar may genuinely be misinformed of the facts.
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Rebutting Sharad Pawar's claims, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday, said that Pawar may genuinely be misinformed of the facts. Hoping that Pawar will change his mind, Tomar presented some facts on the new Farm Laws. Pawar, who was UPA govt's Agriculture Minister, has condemned the new laws claiming it will 'weaken mandis'.
Tomar rebuts Pawar's claims on new farm laws
Tomar said that the new laws facilitate promotion of additional choice for farmers with the choice to sell their produce to anyone, anywhere outside the state to realize competitive & better net price, which doesn’t affect the current MSP system. Assuring that mandis won't be affected, Tomar said that mandis will become competitive and cost-effective in terms of services and infrastructure. He pointed out that Pawar had himself tried hard to bring the same agriculture reforms earlier.
Sharad Pawar ji is a veteran politician and a former Union Agriculture Minister, who is also considered well-versed with the issues & solutions relating to Agriculture. He has himself tried hard to bring the same agriculture reforms earlier.
— Narendra Singh Tomar (@nstomar) January 31, 2021
Since he speaks with some experience and expertise on the issue, it was dismaying to see his tweets employ a mix of ignorance & misinformation on the agriculture reforms. Let me take this opportunity to present some facts. pic.twitter.com/8CZ1AzKYoR
— Narendra Singh Tomar (@nstomar) January 31, 2021
Pawar: 'New laws will weaken mandis'
Recalling his tenure in the UPA govt, Pawar claimed that the new agricultural laws restrict the powers of Mandi system i.e. the collection of levy and fees from the private markets, dispute resolution, agri-trade licensing, and regulations of E-trading, thus weakening them. He also claimed that removal of stock-piling limits may lead to apprehensions that Corporates may purchase commodities at lower rates and stockpile and sell at higher prices to consumers. Pawar has addressed the Farmers' protest held by the All India Kisan Sabha in Mumbai.
Reform is a continuous process and no one would argue against the reforms in the APMCs or Mandi System, a positive argument on the same does not mean that it is done to weaken or demolish the system.
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) January 30, 2021
What are the three farm bills?
As the country opened up after lockdown, the Centre promulgated three ordinances affecting agriculture. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potato are to be deregulated while stock limits were to be imposed only under extreme conditions, under the amendment to the Essential Commodities act. The Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act was to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making agriculture sector competitive. Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws. With massive protests against these laws, Supreme Court has stayed its implementation.
18:48 IST, January 31st 2021