Go to farmers, bust Oppn myths on farm bills: Tomar to leaders

BHUBANESWAR: As Opposition political parties are planning to launch a united fight against the Narendra Modi Government outside the Parliament on three farm sector Bills, the BJP central leadership has asked the state units to go to people and explain the benefits of the new legislation.

After passing of two of the three Bills - Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar explained how the new legislation will free the farmers from the shackles of middlemen to BJP spokespersons of all states.

Interacting with the party spokespersons through a webinar after the Parliament session, Tomar described the farm sector Bills as historic and it will bring a change in the lives of farmers. The farmers will be able to freely trade their produce anywhere in the country.He said the opposition are trying to mislead the farming community and it is the job of the BJP leaders to go to them and explain the benefits they will harvest.“The farmers need to be explained that these Bills are not related to Minimum Support Price (MSP) and they will not be affected. The Government does not intend to stop the price support system,” he told the party leaders.

The Union Minister further explained that the Bill talks about creating a framework for contract farming through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer before the production or rearing of any farm produce.
The third important thing is that these Bills will not affect the State APMC Act. It will provide opportunities for inter-state trade outside the periphery of regulated market committee (RMC). The farmers will be able to sell their produce from their field to traders at a mutually agreed price, said BJP spokesperson Dilip Mohanty.

“The party will do its best to reach out the farmers through media by organising press conferences in all district headquarters. We will distribute pamphlets giving salient features of the three Bills to allay their fears on MSP, contract farming and RMC,” he added.The party will also highlight how the BJD and the Congress have been exploiting the farmers over the years through middlemen in the State, he said.