Agitation on Farm Bills

1. Introduction

On 5 June 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated by the Union Cabinet.It creates a national framework for contract farming through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer before the production or rearing of any farm produces.

Lok Sabha:The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on 14 September 2020, passed in Lok Sabha on 17 September, 2020.

Rajya Sabha:It was passed in Rajya Sabha on 20 September, 2020.

Presidential Assent:The Bill received Presidential Assent on 24 September, 2020.

Introduced by:Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,Narendra Singh Tomar

2. Provisions

(a) Trade of Farmers' Produce:The Act allows the farmers to trade in outside trade areas such as farm gates, factory premises, cold storages, and so on. Previously, it could only be done in the APMC yards or Mandis.

(b) Alternative Trading Channels:It facilitates lucrative prices for the farmers via alternative trading channels to promote barrier-free intra-state and inter-state trade of agriculture produce.

(c) Electronic Trading:Additionally, it allows the electronic trading of scheduled farmers produce (agricultural produce regulated under any state APMC Act) in the specified trade area. It will also facilitate direct and online buying and selling of agricultural produce via electronic devices and the internet.

(d) Market Fee Abolished:As per the Act, the State Governments are prohibited from levying any market fee or cess on farmers, traders and electronic trading platforms for trading farmers produce in an 'outside trade area'.[1].

3. Reason for protest

Farmer protest in India's national capital has created quite a flutter globally too. But very few know exactly what the farmers are protesting. Since 26^thNovember 2020, the borders of Delhi have been witnessing a huge agitation being carried out by farmers, most of them from Punjab and Haryana.

The farmers of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana are angry with the provisions of these Bills as they are afraid that these Bills may be the platform that the government (at the Centre) is setting up for the replacement or scrapping of the otherwise robust support system prevalent in their states for the purchase of their crops. They fear that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee that was their safety net since the Green Revolution of the 1960s kicked in, maybe snatched away from under the pretext of giving the farmers more playing ground and better platforms.[2].

The state-government driven crop produce procurement infrastructure in these areas is very good. Procurement through the Food Corporation of India at promised MSP to farmers, which is declared before every agriculture season, encourages farmers to focus on taking more yield.

23 agricultural crops have MSPs, though the governments primarily buy only rice and wheat. Farmers fear the two recent bills as they feel these agriculture reform processes will kill the government procurement process as well as the MSP. And why d we see most protesters from Punjab and Haryana? That is because they are the biggest beneficiaries of this safety net.

The farmers' agitation against the three farm bills seem to be becoming violent with every passing day. On Monday morning, a tractor was set on fire at India Gate. Five people have been detained in connection with the incident. Legal action has also been initiated against those detained. All of them are residents of Punjab, according to an ANI report that quoted police. Police sources told India Today that the tractor was set ablaze by members of the Punjab Youth Congress. Around 15-20 people set the tractor on fire, police told news agency PTI.

4. BKUs Gurnam Singh Chaduni: The man who put the spotlight on the three farm laws

When farmers in Haryana undertook a tractor march riding over 10,000 tractors on the call of BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni against the three farm ordinances on July 20, 2020, nobody thought the protest would snowball into something so big that one day the Modi government would have to repeal the three contentious laws. Chaduni, however, had probably sensed that the issue is quite close to the heart of farmers because it pertains to their land which they call dharti maan

5.What did PM Modi say

Addressing the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, PM Modi apologised over the three farm laws and said the government would repeal them. He also appealed to the protesting farmers to call off their agitation and return to their homes.

"Whatever I did, I did for the farmers and whatever I am doing, I am doing for the country. With your blessings, there was no deficiency in my hard work even earlier. Today I assure you that I will work harder now so that your dreams can come true, the dreams of the country can come true," PM Modi said [3].

On the occassion of Guru Purab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that the Centre would repeal the three farm laws, in a major step towards ending the stalemate over the controversial legislations over which hundreds of farmers have been camping at the borders of Delhi for nearly a year.

While PM Modi's move was welcomed by the farmers' unions and opposition parties, the protesting farmers are yet to give out a conclusive word to end their agitation.

6. Conclusion

Farmers in India have been protesting vehemently ever since three controversial farm bills were passed without much debate in Parliament. President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent for the three contentious bills despite intensifying protests across the country by farmers and opposition political parties. he Bill repeals the three farm laws passed by Parliament in September 2020. These are: (i) the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, (ii) the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and (iii) the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. These laws were enacted to: (i) provide a framework for contract farming, (ii) facilitate barrier-free trade of farmers produce outside the markets notified under the various state Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) laws, and (iii) regulate the supply of certain food items (such as cereals, pulses, and onions) only under extraordinary circumstances such as war, famine, and extraordinary price rise. Note that, in January 2021, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws [4].