NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday he said the government is committed to ensuring the well-being of farmers and protecting their interests, as thousands of farmers continued protests for the seventeenth day in a row against three new agricultural laws.
Speaking at the 93rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (FICCI), PM said recent agricultural reforms It will give farmers new markets and access to technology, and it will help generate investments that will benefit the farming community.
The government has taken various initiatives to improve the incomes of those involved in the agricultural sector, he said, adding that it is committed to protecting the interests of farmers through policies and intentions.
“The goal of all government reforms is to make farmers prosper,” he said, adding that the private sector should help improve the sector.
Modi’s comments came in the context of protests by thousands of farmers at various border points in Delhi, seeking to repeal the new farm laws, which they claim were aimed at benefiting businesses by weakening the mandi system and the MSP regime for the acquisition of agricultural products. .
“We had seen walls between the agricultural sector and other areas associated with it, be it agricultural infrastructure, food processing, storage or the cold chain. Now all the walls and obstacles are being removed,” Modi said.
He assured that after the reforms, farmers will get new markets, options and more benefits from technology. Farmers will have the option to sell their mandi crops as well as to third parties.
Expressing dissatisfaction with India Inc’s limited involvement in the agricultural sector, the Prime Minister called on industries to show interest and increase investment in the sector.
Unfortunately, India Inc “has not made adequate investments in agriculture and private players did not explore the sector to its full potential, instead working in a limited way,” he said.
The prime minister added that the modernization of cold storage infrastructure will result in more investment, which will benefit farmers.
The farming community has expressed concern about the three new laws: the Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Act of 2020, the Farmers’ Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee and the Agricultural Services Act of 2020 and the Essential Products (Amendment) Act, 2020 – would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of large corporations.
At least five rounds of formal talks have taken place between the Center and representatives of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, but the stalemate has continued with unions sticking to their main demand for repeal of the three contentious laws.
Enacted in September, the laws have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agricultural sector that will cut out middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
(With contributions from the agency)
On video: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 93rd FICCI AGM
.
