Kapurthala MLA calls national policy on agricultural marketing an attempt to reintroduce repealed three farm laws
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 7,2025
Kapurthala MLA belonging to the congress party Rana Gurjeet Singh today questioned the ‘National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing’ by the Government of India terming it re-introduction of repealed three farm laws through a backdoor.
He said that the farm laws were got cancelled after protests by the farmers for 18 months on the borders of the national capital New Delhi during which 700 farmers lost their lives. The protests were called off when the Government of India announced to withdraw the farm laws and promised assured procurement and MSP as a legal guarantee to be offered on all the crops.
“However, the draft of policy framework on agricultural marketing’ bypasses the guarantee of making MSP a legal right. The states specific demands particularly that of Punjab predominantly an agrarian economy, such as debt waiver have been ignored and the draft policy is plot to dislocate the well-oiled procurement machinery in the state which includes nearly 1,900 mandis and procurement centres, 3,500 rice shelling mills, system of commission agents, large number of labour and transporters,” said Rana Gurjeet SIngh.
The procurement of two crops during rabi and kharif seasons pumps atleast Rs. one lakh crore into the state economy and incase that goes in private hands there is danger of state missing on procurement funds, adds the congress leader.
The way the Punjab farmers suffered during paddy procurement is a signal of tough times in the offing as incase the Government of India is successful in implementing the draft marketing policy and bring in the private players in the system of food grains logistics, marketing, purchase and storage. “This paddy marketing season the farmers suffered per quintal loss of Rs. 200 to 400 as the procurement was delayed,” Rana Gurjeet Singh.
Questioning the seriousness on the part of Punjab government Rana Gurjeet Singh said that the state government might have been opposing it but lacks seriousness to tackle it with a practical approach. He suggested for calling an all party meeting on the subject and involving all stakeholder to make a larger consensus against the Centre’s draft policy.
“The matter needs a consensus and larger discussion among the law makers so a week-long session be called to discuss the draft policy and all other issues concerning the agriculture related matters of our state,” suggested the legislator from Kapurthala.
The seriousness on the part of Punjab government can be judged from one example of a proposal by the state forest department in which it has been proposed to grow agro-forestry taking land on lease from the farmers for a period of five years starting from Hoshiarpur district as step towards diversification and reducing area under paddy. “The government can’t be in the business of doing business, rather they are promoters and facilitators,” quipped Rana Gurjeet Singh.
Kapurthala MLA calls national policy on agricultural marketing an attempt to reintroduce repealed three farm laws. Also, the draft agriculture policy proposed by the state government is very vague, without logic and lacks practicality,” pointed Rana Gurjeet Singh. It has been nearly three years since the AAP government took over but it is still struggling to launch the policy. “I would like to ask the government when the policy will be implemented,” said the Kapurthala MLA.
