In the 100-page e-booklet ’Putting Farmers First’, the Govt has made clear the ’truth’ about the farm reforms
As farmers intensify their protest seeking repeal of three farm laws, the government has launched an e-booklet highlighting the success stories of farmers who have benefited from contract farming after enactment of these legislations.
In the 100-page e-booklet ’Putting Farmers First’, the government said it has made clear the ’truth’ about the farm reforms and has mentioned ’what will happen’ and ’what will not happen’ for farmers. It also asserted that reforms in the farm sector were undertaken step by step in the last six years keeping in mind the needs of farmers.
The government asserted that the three farm laws were enacted in September after ’two decades of consultations.’ Farmers have been protesting at various border points of Delhi for three weeks against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmer leaders have threatened to completely block the Chilla border between Delhi and Noida to press for their demands.
The new laws have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country. However, protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the laws will pave way for eliminating the safety cushion of minimum support price (MSP) and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
Highlighting briefly the success stories of farmers who have benefitted from the new laws, the government said: ’There are many success stories already for such market access across various states.’ ’Nearly 1,300 farmers in the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh recently entered into an agreement with Fortune Rice to produce export quality paddy and are earning 15-20 per cent higher income,’ it said.
