Farm Bills won’t affect minimum support price, says Agriculture Minister in Rajya Sabha

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday moved two farm Bills in Rajya Sabha. While tabling the Bills, the union minister said that these Bills would not affect the minimum support price (MSP). He said the two Bills were historic and will bring a change in the lives of the farmers. “The farmers will be able to freely trade their produce anywhere in the country. I want to assure the farmers that these Bills are not related to Minimum Support Price,” he said while moving the Bills.

The Narendra Modi-government has brought in three farm Bills to reform the agri market. While a section of people has hailed the move, some have launched massive protests in Punjab and Haryana. Farmers fear that they would not get a minimum support price for their produce. The opposition parties including Congress have also opposed the Bills and demanded that they be sent to the Standing Committee.

Today, Congress General Secretary and MP KC Venugopal said that it was very clear that this government’s motive was to destroy farmers and help the corporate sector. “Our party has decided to oppose agriculture Bills. Government has to reconsider the bills, at least they should have sent it to the Select Committee,” he said. Another Congress MP, Partap Singh Bajwa, said that his party opposed “these ill-conceived and ill-timed Bills”. “Congress rejects these bills. We will not sign on this death warrant of farmers,” he said.

Commenting on the opposition to the Bills, Haryana Minister Anil Vij said that the opposition parties have misled the farmers for their own political gains. “The Prime Minister has assured farmers of MSP. Farmers will be able to freely trade their produce anywhere. During this pandemic, blocking roads in protest is not correct,” he said.

Meanwhile, workers of Punjab Youth Congress and farmers have arrived at Delhi-Chandigarh national highway in Zirakpur to take part in a tractor rally from Zirakpur to Delhi against the farm Bills.