INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 in the Rajya Sabha
(Photo: PTI)As agriculture-related Bills were tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday, the Congress stepped up its attack against the central
(Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill,
2020 in the Rajya Sabha.Tomar said the MSP, based procurement of agriculture crops from farmers, will continue and is not related to the
farm Bills that seek to give cultivators freedom to market their produce
facing staunch opposition from farmer bodies as well as from within the ruling coalition.Under the MSP, the government guarantees the
procurement of crops such as wheat and paddy at minimum prices from farmers
A third Bill, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, that seeks to remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, onion, and
potatoes from the list of essential commodities and will do away with the imposition of stock holding limits, is to be moved in the Rajya
Sabha separately.Opposition parties as well as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) feel the Bills are the first step toward removing the MSP which
will force the farmers to make distress sales to private companies.(With inputs from agencies)
