Farmers lie on the railway tracks and raise slogans to protest against various demands during a Punjab-wide railway protest in Devidas Pura village near Amritsar on December 18, 2024. Photo credit: ANI
Farmer groups in Punjab have asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state to reject the draft National Agricultural Marketing Policy Framework, claiming it could be an attempt to reintroduce contentious provisions of the three farm laws that were repealed by the federal government. After farmers protest.
According to a government statement, concerns over the draft were raised by representatives of farmer unions and Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian at a meeting here on Thursday. The minister assured farmers’ union leaders that the state government will not allow farmers’ interests to be affected by the state’s agricultural produce marketing policy framework.
“The state government is concerned that this policy may have severe impacts on the state and its farmers, so we want to analyze and consult on all aspects of the draft policy shared by the Government of India,” Mr. Kurdian said.
Agricultural experts and other stakeholders will also be consulted soon to conduct a thorough analysis so that no point is missed, he added.
Farmer union leaders such as Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Satnam Singh Ajnala and others expressed deep concern over potential privatization and monopoly practices in the new policy, the statement said, adding that “it may be an attempt to re- Introducing controversial provisions of three farm laws that have been repealed [2020-21] Actions taken by the Union government in the wake of farmers’ protests”.
Farmer leaders urged the state government to conduct further scrutiny before giving a reply to the Centre, so that the interests of Punjab and its farmers can be adequately safeguarded.
Published – December 19, 2024, 9:09 pm (IST)