Lok Sabha Passes Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Bill and Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill

New Delhi, September 17: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. It had earlier already passed Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 on Tuesday evening.

With the passing of these three bills in the Lok Sabha, now it will be moved to Rajya Sabha where the National Democratic Alliance will try to pass the bills. All these bills will replace three ordinances promulgated on June 5. The Union government claims that these legislations will increase farmers' income and investment in the agriculture sector. Farmer Bills: What Are The 3 Legislations Brought by Modi Government? Why Are Farmers Protesting? Know All About These.

However, NDA's ally Shiromani Akali Dal have opposed the bills and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had resigned from the Union Ministry as a mark of her opposition. It is to be known that farmers in north India are opposing the farm bills. Various groups claim that the farm bills will be the foundation for suspension of the minimum support price (MSP) system. The farmers also fear that the traditional grain market system will be finished and small farmers will suffer loses.

Farmers want the procurement by commissioning agents to remain intact and have opposed to the central government's control over production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce in certain commodities. Despite the Union government's claims that the bills are 'far-sighted', farmers are not convinced and want the government to withdraw the bills.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2020 10:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).