Farmers Bill : What The Fuss Is All About.

FARMER'S BILL

 India is one of the leading countries in cultivation and farming. Indian farmers are the backbone of our nations economy as Indian economy is primarily agricultural based. Statistics revealed that Indian agriculture is sector accounting for 18% of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide employment to nearly 50% of the workers.            

India is the largest producer of  wheat,rice ,pulses and spices and has more scope for growth in agricultural sector. But now-a-days Indian farmers stayed a neglected community for decades despite their huge contribution in economy of the nation. Unfortunately despite being the protagonist  in such industry, Indian farmers are constantly subjected to harassment, unemployment or lower payment of crops and such other things subjecting them into incur losses and poverty.

Recently government has introduced farmer's bill but most of the people still don't have any idea regarding what the bill is all about.

Source : Google Images

Despite of many arguments the  bill has been passed in the parliament. Government hopes the new law will provide farmers with more choices,competition  leading to better prices as well as ushering in search of private investment in agricultural marketing, processing and infrastructure.

The Indian government has passed the combination of three agricultural bills in September 2020. And these three bills became laws when it received approval from  honourable President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Following Three Bills Are:-

1. Essential commodities (Amendment )Bill.          
2. Farmers  (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Bill ,2020 .                          
3. Farmer's Produce  Trade and Commerce (Promotion Facilitation) Bill ,2020.  

Courtesy : Express Explained

Essential Commodities (Amendment )Bill

• The essential Commodity Amendment Bill is one of is one of the three Bill passed in the Parliament on 15 September by voice vote which amend the essential commodities act 1955.

• The bill deregulate commodities like cereals, pulses, edible oil, oil seeds, onion and potato from the list of the essential commodities. Which means that now government will not be able to regulate supply of these items directly. Only under some extraordinary circumstances like   bizarre price rise ,war, famine, natural calamity.

• Central Government can control production and supply of essential commodities. The act  gives power to central government to add or remove commodities in the schedule.

• According to the experts the amendment to the essential commodities act is a great step which will boost farmers economy and they will be able to to sell their produced goods anywhere not just be restricted to the local Mandis.

The Farmer's (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Service Bill 2020

• The other name for this bill is 'Contracting. Farming'.
• The bill empowers the farmers to contract with processor ,wholesalers, large retailers, exporters etc. The price has been fixed between the farmers and retailers before the the sowing of crops. In case the price of the crops rises in the market then farmers would be entitled to his price over and above minimum price.                                    
• The market risk would be transferred unpredictability from farmers to the sponsor.             
• As the price of the crops were predetermined now farmers don't have to worry about rise and fall of the market prices.                          
• The bill would provide farmers to access modern technology, better seeds and other essentials.                  
• Income of the farmers will automatically increase and cost of marketing will reduce.                                          
• Contract farming would bring up the new technology in agriculture sector.                            
• In case of any dispute between contractor and farmer  there will be no need to go  to the  court repeatedly. Local dispute redressal mechanism would be available.                            

  

  Courtesy : Express Explained

  
  

Famers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020 

• Under this Bill the farmer are now free to sell their  produce outside the state APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committe) Mandis  and even they can sell it in any part of the country at the MSP fixed by the government.

• It will certainly pave the way for creating 'One India One Agriculture 'market and will lay the foundation for ensuring golden harvest for our hard working farmers.                
• The farmers will not be charged any less or levy for the sale of their produce under this act.                                               

  

  Courtesy : Express Explained

  
                                  

Reason Of  Protest                              

• The new  legislation propose many choices that the old system  might not favour a majority of farmers who could stand to gain by more choices.

• The new legislation are likely to input, Arhatiyas(Commission Agent in the state of Punjab and Haryana) in Mandis who don't want their grip over farmers to weaken. Farmers organisation such as Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and political parties have been protesting against the bill which they believe are enforced  to help  big Corporates houses at the cost of farmers, other group such as Maharashtra base Shetkeri Sangsthan Support such reform.

Courtesy : Express Explained

• The issues and fare raised by the protestors include end of minimum support price Regime due to course irrelevance of state control Agricultural Produce Market Committe (APMC)
• 'Mandis'risk of loosing outland rights under contract farming,rule reduction in price of farm produce due to domination by big agro-business and exploitation of farmers by big contractors through contract farming provision.

• The opposition party have also oppose three bills calling them 'Anti farmer'. BJP's ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has pulled out its minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal in protest against the bills. While Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has threatened to take BJP to court over the new law.                                                                 

 

From the above given information we can conclude that the Farmers  Bill has got the two lobbies-The one who is favouring and the other who is arguing.It is obvious that whatever Central government do is always been opposed by the opposition party. And  few points  of the bill which are opposed today were supported by the same party when they were in power .Also the central government has not been able to explain these bills to the Farmer in a better way. If the government wants the Farmers  to cooperate with them, then government should make them believe in the merits of the bill. And not to get diverted or misunderstand the real fact about the bill.

So let the Farmers alone decide whether to support this bill or not.