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    Everything you need to know about the farm laws farmers are protesting against

    Synopsis

    Farmers are protesting against the three agri reforms — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

    Agriculture-related bills will bring revolutionary changes in lives of farmers: Narendra Singh Tomar
    The Supreme Court has put on hold the implementation of the three farm laws that are at the centre of farmers' protests. The top court also formed a committee of experts to help in resolving the impasse.

    There is currently widespread farmer protest happening against the three reforms — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

    Farmers have laid siege to Delhi even as Modi government scrambles to find an amicable solution.

    The President gave his assent on September 27 to the three contentious agriculture Bills that were earlier passed by the Parliament. The opposition as well as long-time BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal have termed these reforms as "anti-farmer".

    After talks with Home Minister Amit Shah failed, the government laid out a plan to amend the agriculture laws, but farmer union leaders rejected the offer, saying they would settle for nothing less than complete scrapping of the legislations.

    Here is everything you need to know:

    1. What are the three agri reforms in contention?
      The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act were passed by the House and received the President's assent turning them into laws. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has assured that the Minimum Support Price mechanism will stay, and adequate protection of land ownership was in place to protect farmer interests.
    2. What are they for?
      The government has said these reforms will accelerate growth in the sector through private sector investment in building infrastructure and supply chains for farm produce in national and global markets.They are intended to help small farmers who don’t have means to either bargain for their produce to get a better price or invest in technology to improve the productivity of farms.The bill on Agri market seeks to allow farmers to sell their produce outside APMC 'mandis' to whoever they want. Farmers will get better prices through competition and cost-cutting on transportation. However, this Bill could mean states will lose 'commissions' and 'mandi fees'.The legislation on contract farming will allow farmers to enter into a contract with agri-business firms or large retailers on pre-agreed prices of their produce. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, seeks to remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. This will end the imposition of stock-holding limits except under extraordinary circumstances.
    3. Who is protesting?
      Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and some other parts are protesting against these reforms. Currently there is a major protest going on at Delhi's borders. Badal, too, tendered her resignation after the Bills were passed. Opposition parties, including TMC, Congress, DMK and BSP, opposed the agriculture sector reform bills, saying they were against the interests of small and marginal farmers. Congress upped its ante against the Modi government, terming the move a conspiracy to defeat the Green Revolution.Slamming the government, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said: "This government has been eyeing, how they can take the farmers' land to benefit their capitalist friends, whether is the Land Acquisition Act, whether in the industrial system through weakening the labour courts and now this three-pronged attack on the Indian agricultural system through the two bills on farming - one related to APMC, the other one is related to contract farming and the third bill which is on essential commodities... a three-pronged attack on the Indian farmers."


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    ( Originally published on Sep 18, 2020 )
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