Updated: December 3, 2020 6:55:59 am
Farmers gathered at the Singhu border of New Delhi.
As the Center prepares to sit across the table with 35 farmer groups at 12 noon in Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday for the second round of discussions, it may be willing to address certain issues, some not necessarily related to law agricultural, which farmers’ representatives expressed their anxiety.
At first round of talks held on Tuesday, farmer groups worked on a new law that came into effect through an Ordinance on October 28. The 2020 National Capital Region and Adjacent Areas Commission for Air Quality Management Ordinance, the farmers said, may end impose a penalty of up to Rs 1 crore or a jail term of up to five years or both for burning stubble that damages air quality in NCR. “This is an issue that can be addressed,” said a government source who did not want to be named.
As things stand now, farmers have taken a maximalist position and are adamant in their demand to remove all three laws and incorporate the MSP (maximum support price) into the law itself. The government, on the other hand, believes that these laws will free up farmers and allow them to sell their products anywhere, including any private market, and not just in designated mandis.
However, the central government is open to talks and has asked the farmer groups to record their reserves in each of the three laws. As of 5:00 pm, the government had not received his specific objections to the clauses of the three laws.
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The government will also underscore its commitment to continue the procurement process as it was prior to June 5, 2020, when the 2020 Trade in Agricultural Products and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance was issued. There is concern that the rate market rate paid by the Center or its agencies and the number of acquisitions may be reduced over a period of time.
Another issue that the central government may be willing to review relates to the dispute resolution mechanism as provided by law on contract farming, that is, the Farmers’ Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services, 2020.
Rules notified under this law only provided for dispute resolution led by government officials, which farmers fear may be biased. “The government may consider allowing civil courts as a recourse for farmers,” the source said.
A great concern for farmers also stems from the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Farmers fear that the central idea behind the bill is to remove subsidies and that they will start receiving bills for electricity used in agricultural activities.
The government, however, maintains that the bill does not even address the issue of eliminating subsidies, but the idea is to indicate in advance the scope of the cross-subsidy to help determine rates for different customer groups.
However, farmers are not convinced. They feel that once the extent of the subsidy is known, they will have to pay it just for the state government to reimburse them later. “We have to assure farmers that this is not the case,” the source said.
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