By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: With reforms in agriculture sector followed by hike in MSP likely to boost the morale of tens of thousands of farmers across the Country, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former IAS officer, Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday reached out to farmers of Odisha and apprised them about the benefits of reforms that was taken up by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA Government.
“ Met farmers in Cuttack district today. Listened to their points. Will work to improve their conditions. I thanked them for maintaining Covid protocol on mask and social distancing norms,” the Rajya Sabha from Odisha said adding he would try his best to ensure the benifits of reforms reach to the farmers of the State. The Rajya Sabha MP was second to Union PNG-Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is sensitising farmers’ community in Odisha about the recent reforms and hike in MSP for Rabi crops.
“Our government under the leadership of PM Modi, has worked relentlessly to ensure prosperity and well-being of farmers.However, some people in the country who have a history of exploiting farmers continue to want to do so by spreading false information on the agrarian reforms. People who were in power for decades are misguiding and instigating farmers to exploit the old system,” he said.
It may be noted here that weeks back, Parliament had passed the two Bills — ‘The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020’ and the ‘Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020’.
“Farmer will be free to sell produce anywhere and to anyone, freeing him from selling the produce only at the designated ‘mandi’. Sales done outside the mandi will attract no tax of Centre or state governments,” the MP told the farmers at the meeting.
The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), will remain in States. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) system will continue and no contract will be allowed between private trader and farmer that can affect land holding of farmer. Even in case of dispute, the land of the farmer cannot be sold to recover any damages, the bill had said.
”Till the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power, there is no question of removing MSP. To make farmers self-reliant, the government is spending Rs 1 lakh crore on agriculture infrastructure fund. People who cheated farmers in the past are crying fake tears now. They will not be successful in misleading people,” Union Minister Pradhan had said.
He further said even after 70 years of independence, the farmers were not getting a proper price for their crop, but under the new Acts, they will become independent and get a fair price for their produce.”The agricultural sector had not changed for the past 70 years. The free-market policy is being introduced to change that. Now farmers will get a fair price for their crops,” Pradhan had said.
