Write a letter to the Prime Minister of India stating about the concern of the newly introduced farm bills and telling him about the protests of the poor farmers and requesting for an amendment in the favour of the farmers
write letter in proper format
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Answers
The Centre has claimed that the new farm legislation will free farmers from the arhtiyas, but has failed to explain how it will prevent the farmers from being exploited by big corporates, who have been taking over one sector after the other under NDA rule. The fight to retain the APMC, despite its shortcomings, is also a fight to extract a commitment from the government on maintaining state support to the agriculture sector. With government investment in agriculture declining in real terms, input costs rising and subsidy declining, farmers fear the withering away of their last instrument of state support of the MSP regime. Farmers’ anger is not just about restoring the primacy of the APMC mandis but also the manner in which these Bills were thrust upon them. Voices of dissent emanating from the farmers’ unions should have been heeded to by the government before hurriedly pushing these contentious Bills.
EL SINGH, by mail
Valid fears
The Bills passed in the name of agrarian reforms have led to insecurity and fear of exploitation among the farming community (‘Trust deficit’). The fears are genuine and based on bitter experience with the corporates in the past. Contract farming was tried in Punjab some three decades ago and failed miserably. I am a witness to the plight and exploitation of the poor farmers of Hoshiarpur district who entered into contract with a corporate to grow potato, chilli and tomato for the plant set up at Zahura village in Dasuya. After picking up the best produce, the corporate would leave the farmers to fend for themselves. Lack of storage facility and the perishable nature of the produce forced the farmers to dispose of surplus produce at throwaway prices that were less than even the cost of production. The farmers refuse to be cheated again and rightly so.
Aswant Kaur Gill, Tarn Taran
Farmers’ grouse
Apropos of ‘Trust deficit’, (Sept 29) when coalition partners are not consulted even over issues of great national import, it’s a single-party rule masqueraded as a coalition government. In a democracy, not only are the views of coalition partners accommodated but even those of Opposition parties have to be given due consideration. Farmers constitute a sizeable vote bank. Realising the role of agriculture in our economy, the concerns of the farming community must be addressed seriously and with alacrity to prevent the crisis from snowballing into a major national issue, disrupting our economy irredeemably.
Roshan Lal Goel, Ladwa
More must be done
The following points may help gain the confidence of farmers: MSP must be a law and purchasing produce below that price should be a criminal offence; the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Price Monitoring and Controlling must be reoriented with constitutional powers to look into price fluctuations and market problems in a way that farmers are not exploited at any stage; all stakeholders must be educated properly about the new laws and, if need be, necessary clarifications through amendments may be undertaken.
JC Dagar, Karnal
Triangle of confusion
‘The options before Punjab’ (Sept 28) escapes many ground realities. Farmers of MP, Punjab and Haryana are agitating over only one demand, that the new legislation should have a clause ensuring full procurement of their wheat and rice by the FCI or private agencies. The government only gives verbal assurance that MSP will stay. Last year, the FCI procured 92 MT of wheat and rice and its stocks are overflowing. The FCI has to distribute 50 per cent of wheat and rice at Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg, respectively, through PDS. The government wants to replace this system with direct cash transfer to beneficiaries. This will compel the FCI to procure wheat and rice by half. Private traders can’t afford to procure the other half at MSP because of glut in the market. This is how the new laws, reduced procurement by the FCI and failure of the government to clarify the doubts of farmers have added to the confusion.
RN Malik, by mail