Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Narendra Singh Tomar are addressing the media on Farmers Protest. The Centre on Wednesday offered to significantly change the contentious farm laws to pacify protesting farmers. It proposed to dilute major provisions of the marketing reform laws, including taxation and dispute resolution, and address concerns relating to the weakening of the minimum support price (MSP) regime. Farmer unions, however, rejected the offer and stuck to their demand of repealing the laws, saying they will intensify the protests.

“In yesterday’s meeting with (Union home minister) Amit Shah we had made it clear that we will not negotiate on amending the laws. Our firm position is that these laws will have to go and the government must give a legal entitlement to MSP,” said Shiv Kumar Sharma, a farmer leader from Madhya Pradesh, and member of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which is leading the agitations.

Here are the Live UPDATES:

4.45 pm: The entire country has witnessed that Swaminathan Commission report came in 2006, the recommendation about MSP at 1.5 times cost of production remained pending till Modi government implemented it: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.42 pm: Still, we have already made provision in the Act that agreement under these laws will only be between processors and farmers’ produce. There is no provision for any lease or agreement over farmers’ land: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.40 pm: It is being projected that the land of farmers will be occupied by industrialists. Contract farming has been going on for long in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka but there has never been such experience: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.38 pm: Pained we haven’t reached a solution: Narendra Singh Tomar.

4.35 pm: During the talks, many said that farm laws are invalid as agriculture is State subject and Centre can’t frame these laws. We clarified, we have the right to make laws on trade and explained it to them. APMC & MSP are not affected by it: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.32 pm: We sent a proposal to farmers. They wanted the laws to berepealed. We are of the stand that govt is ready for open-minded discussions on provisions they have an objection against. Laws don’t affect APMCs or MSP. We tried to explain this to farmers: Agriculture Minister

4.30 pm: We are ready to give all clarifications, says Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

4.28 pm: We allowed the state governments to decide on registration: Tomar.

4.25 pm: The government wanted to make the process smooth for the farmers: Tomar

4.22 pm: The farmers gave no solutions: Narendra Singh Tomar

4.20 pm: Agriculture laws were welcomed by the entire nation: Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.19 pm: Such incidents are rising, this has reached to such an extent that stone pelting is being done on the convoy of BJP national president who has been provided security. This is being ignored by the state govt. We condemn this attack: Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.17 pm: The government wanted to liberate the farmers of the shackles of mandi so that they could sell their produce anywhere, to anyone, at his own price, outside the purview of mandi: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

4.16 pm: Why should anyone object to trade without tax: Narendra Singh Tomar

4.15 pm: We have done a lot for the farmers in last 6 years: Narendra Singh Tomar

On Wednesday afternoon, a formal proposal reached farmer leaders negotiating with the Centre, according to which states will have the freedom to impose taxes and fees in private mandis (wholesale markets), a move aimed at maintaining a level playing field between private and state regulated markets. This comes against the backdrop of farmers fearing that the farm laws passed by Parliament in September would weaken state regulated markets and widen the role of private players.