Nitish defends agriculture laws, says agitating farmers must talk to government

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said farmers agitating against the new farm laws should talk with the Centre.The CM’s response came on Monday during his interaction with the media on the sidelines of the inaugural function of Bihar’s longest 12.27 km elevated road over the rail line. 

“The Central government is constantly saying that it will clarify the situation. The farmers should have a dialogue with the government,” the  Bihar CM said.

Defending the farm laws, the new laws would not cause any problem in procuring food grain from farmers. He said one such law for the welfare of farmers in Bihar was brought into force in 2006.

“We started the process of procurement through Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) in Bihar and today it is working effectively”. 

Nitish commissioned Bihar’s longest 12.27 km long elevated road with the country’s longest RoB (rail over-bridge) between Digha at the first public function organized after the formation of the NDA government in the state.

"The project took seven years to complete and will substantially ease traffic load of Patna from north to south Bihar. The four-lane bridge costing `1289.25 crore has steel girders and is an example of innovative engineering”, he said.

India’s 106-meter RoB with single span open web steel girders was built with this technology near the Danapur railway station.

‘Will reconsider  support to NDA’  

Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal, an NDA alliance, on Monday said he will have to reconsider his party’s support to the Centre if the new agricultural reform laws are not withdrawn.

Beniwal, the convener of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah to implement all the recommendations made by the Swaminathan Commission.

“RLP is an alliance partner of NDA...if prompt action is not taken in this matter in the interest of farmers, I will have to reconsider on being part of the NDA,” he tweeted.