SKM rejects govt committee on MSP and other issues, won’t nominate representatives

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmer unions, has rejected outright the committee formed by the Government of India on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other issues. The government had published in the Gazette issued on Monday the notification brought by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 12 July 2022 with regard to the formation of the committee. Former Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal will be the Chairman of the committee.

According to the notification, there are to be three members from the SKM whose names are “to be added on receipt” (from SKM). But the SKM has decided not to nominate any representative to the committee. It feels there is little room for any discussion of law for MSP in the agenda of the committee as it is full of government members.

The SKM decision was made public in a tweet by farmer leader Yogendra Yadav, who said to Rural Voice that the tweet was on behalf of the SKM.

SKM feels all its fears regarding the committee have come true. It cannot, says SKM, have anything to do with such an "anti-farmer" and "meaningless" committee. Ever since 19 November 2021 when along with the announcement of repealing the “three black laws” Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced such a committee would be formed, SKM has made its apprehensions regarding such a committee public.

Even when the government had asked the SKM in March to nominate representatives to the committee, SKM  had sought clarification regarding the committee. But, says SKM, there was no reply from the government.

On July 3, the national convention of the SKM had unanimously decided that “until the government clarifies the jurisdiction and terms of reference of this committee, there is no justification for nominating Samyukt Kisan Morcha representatives to the committee.”