What proposal did the Center give to the farmers? Which crops will get at MSP for 5 years?
The Central Government has put forward a proposal before the farmers, under which cooperative agencies will enter into a five-year contract for the purchase of pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP from them adopting crop diversification. Farmer leaders say that they will consider the government's proposal and take the next decision.
Ajeet Singh
The fourth round of talks between three Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai, and farmers who are agitating for several demands including legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) of crops, continued till late Sunday night. The Central Government has put forward a proposal before the farmers, under which cooperative agencies will enter into a five-year contract for the purchase of pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP from them adopting crop diversification. Farmer leaders say that they will discuss the government's proposal and take the next decision.
After interacting with farmer leaders in Chandigarh, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that cooperative institutions like NCCF and NAFED will enter into contracts with farmers who grow arhar, urad, masoor dal or maize. Their crops will be purchased at MSP for the next 5 years. There will be no limit on the quantity of purchase and a portal will be created for this. The Union Minister said that this will improve the groundwater level in Punjab and prevent the land from becoming barren. According to Goyal, “Farmers want to grow maize but they want to avoid the losses they face when prices go below the MSP.”
Goyal said that we have given the proposal to the farmer leaders. They can discuss and give us an answer by Monday morning. If farmers take any decision, the government will discuss and move ahead accordingly. On other demands of the farmers, Goyal said that it was not possible to find a solution without in-depth discussion on them. Elections are coming and a new government will be formed. Discussion on these issues will continue. Describing the government's proposal as innovative and out-of-the-box, the Union Minister said that farmers should end their protest. If the farmers agree then other demands will also be discussed.
Farmers will consider the proposal
On the Centre's proposal, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that he will discuss it on his forums in the next one or two days and will take the opinion of experts in this regard. Only after that the further strategy will be decided. Loan waiver and other demands have not been discussed yet. He expressed hope that some consensus would be reached on these issues by Tuesday. The farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march is currently halted, but if all the issues are not resolved then the Delhi march will start again from February 21.
14 representatives of farmer unions were present in the meeting with Union ministers on Sunday. Before the start of the meeting, two minutes silence was observed and tribute was paid to farmer Gyan Singh, who died during the farmers' movement.
Punjab Chief Minister raised the issue of pulses import
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also present in the meeting. Before the talks with the farmers, the Union Ministers had also held a separate meeting with the Chief Minister of Punjab. Chief Minister Mann said he participated in the meeting as an advocate for the farmers. The final decision has to be taken by the farmers. During the meeting he raised the issue of import of pulses from Mozambique and Colombia. Chief Minister Mann says that if MSP is given for these crops, then Punjab can lead the country in the production of pulses and this will be the second green revolution. Farmers of the state can adopt cotton and maize only if they get guarantee of MSP on these crops.
What are the demands of the farmers?
After talks with the central government failed, the farmers started the Delhi march on February 13, but they were stopped at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Haryana. When the farmers tried to enter the border of Haryana, there was a clash between the security forces and the agitating farmers. To stop the farmers, tear gas shells were fired and pellet guns were used. Tear gas shells were also released from the drone. During this period many farmers and policemen were injured. At present thousands of farmers are camping at Shambhu Border and Khanauri Border.
The main demands of the farmers include legal guarantee of MSP, implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, pension for farmers and agricultural labourers, farm loan waiver, ban on increase in electricity rates, withdrawal of police cases against farmers killed during the agitation. The demands include compensation to the families of farmers, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act 2013 and "justice" for the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
To end the farmers' movement against the three agricultural laws two years ago, the Modi government had decided to withdraw all three laws. Many promises were also made including finding a solution to the MSP issue. The agitated farmers are now accusing the government of breaking promises.
