New Delhi, Feb 5 (UNI) Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday defended the Centre's three farm laws and hailed it as a 'revolutionary' step towards empowerment and prosperity of farmers.
Intervening in the ongoing discussion on the 'Motion of Thanks' presented to the President's Address, Mr Tomar said that the government is committed to the economic uplift of the villagers, the poor and the farmers.
To give the farmers a fair price for their produce, the Minister amid Opposition ruckus, said that thousand mandis have been linked with the E-NAM scheme and provisions have been made in the Budget to connect 1,000 more mandis.
The Agriculture Minister said the Central Contract Agriculture Act has been made better than the states with a provision for farmers to leave the contract any time, while arrangements have been made to ensure that the traders distance themselves only after paying the farmers.
He said that in one state a provision has been made to imprison farmers in case of non-compliance with the laws along with a penalty up to five lakh rupees.
Around 20 states have enacted contract farming laws.
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