News Analysis India

Tag: msp

  • Punjab CM Amarinder Singh assures support to ‘arhtiyas’ on MSP payments to farmers through them

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Under the pressure from the Centre to switch to direct payment to farmers for their crops bought at the MSP, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday expressed his government’s support to ‘arhtiyas’.

    Singh gave the assurance to ‘arhtiyas’, the state commission agents, following the Centre’s latest directive, ruling out any further relaxation to the state on the direct benefit transfer issue.

    Under the DBT, farmers are to be paid directly for their crops bought by the government agencies at the MSP, bypassing ‘arhatiyas’.

    In a video conference with representatives of the Federation of Arhtiya Association of Punjab, the chief minister assured commission agents that they would remain an integral part of the procurement system in the state.

    “My doors are open for you,” the CM told ‘arhtiyas’ who raised the issue of the continuation of the existing system of MSP payments to farmers through them.

    Punjab ‘arthiyas’ are up in arms against the Centre’s latest directive for direct payment to farmers.

    Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal on March 27 had written to the Punjab government, asking it to implement the direct payment of the minimum support price (MSP) to farmers.

    The chief minister told the commission agents that he has been seeking time to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, he said, appeared to be busy with election campaigns in various states.

    He told ‘arhtiyas’ that though he did not expect the prime minister to meet him on the DBT issue, he and his government would keep writing to the central government and knocking on its door on the DBT issue.

    The chief minister told commission agents that he had already written to the prime minister on March 19, and had also spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who, he claimed, has assured him of all help in the matter.

    He further disclosed that Punjab’s Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu too had met Shah to discuss the issue.

    At the meeting, the Federation of Arhtiya Association of Punjab accused Haryana of ‘betraying’ them by accepting the DBT proposal of the central government.

    The Punjab chief minister said the Punjab farmers share a long-standing and time-tested relations with ‘arhtiyas’, whom, he described as ‘the backbone of the successful procurement system in the state’.

    The CM also ordered the concerned state department to release the pending Rs 131 crore payment to commission agents, due from the state government.

    An official spokesperson said in the meeting the chief minister discussed the commission agents’ concerns threadbare and assured them that the state government will work out all possible options to resolve the issue.

    Besides continuance of the existing system of payment to farmers through them, the ‘arhtiyas’ are demanding clearance of all dues from the Food Corporation of India.

    They are also opposed to the proposed linking of land records with farmers’ produce being brought to ‘mandis’ (gran markets), claiming that there is no provision in the existing APMC Act or Rules to allow it.

    In case it is to be implemented, it would automatically require an amendment in the APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) rules, the Arhtiyas, led by Federation president Vijay Kalra, asserted.

  • Amarinder opposes Centre’s plan to transfer MSP directly to farmers’ account

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday opposed the Centre’s scheme to make a direct online payment of the MSP to farmers’ bank accounts, bypassing arhtiyas, for the crops to be procured by the government from the next Rabi season.

    Opposing the Centre’s Direct Bank Transfer scheme for farmers, Chief Minister Singh wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to ask the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to defer the implementation of the scheme for at least a year.

    Singh said he has written a letter to the Prime Minister seeking early resolution of the matter in view of the upcoming Rabi season.

    He said he has also sought time from Prime Minister Modi for a meeting on the issue, the Punjab government said in an official statement.

    “The arhtiyas (commission agents) and farmers have long-standing relations,” said the Punjab CM, questioning the need to change the system which, he claimed, was “working very well”.

    “Around 50 per cent farmers give their land on contract, so how will those who till the land get their money under DBT?” the government’s official statement also asked, quoting the chief minister.

    In his letter, Amarinder Singh drew PM’s attention to the Union ministry’s directions, asking the Government of Punjab to ensure direct payment to farmers along with online submission of the details of landowners and cultivators.

    Opposing the Central scheme which bypasses ‘arhtiyas’ in the payment of the minimum support price to farmers for their produce, Chief Minister Singh argued that ‘arhtiyas’ are licensees under the Agriculture Produce Market Committee Act.

    For the past many decades, the state procurement agencies and FCI have been procuring foodgrains for the Central Pool, he said.

    Claiming “an age-old relation between farmers and arhtiyas in Punjab,” the chief minister said the farmers have never complained of non-receipt of MSP payment.

    The state government is ensuring online payment to farmers, albeit through these ‘arhtiyas’, he said.

    The chief minister said the land ownership and tenancy issues may give rise to various avoidable legal complications, especially during the ongoing farmers’ agitation.

    This, he said, “may also cause avoidable unrest and anguish among the farmers”.

    He further noted that bringing the software in line with the proposed directions shall take considerable time.

    The Punjab chief minister has made the intervention in the wake of Punjab’s ‘arhtiyas’ association threatening to stop the procurement of wheat from next month as a mark of protest against the Centre’s scheme of direct transfer of MSP to farmers’ account.

    The association had claimed that the Centre was taking the step to target them for supporting the farmers’ protest.

    The Centre had earlier directly issued a letter to get the accounts of farmers for the direct payment and now it is being done through FCI.

  • Farmers in Haryana block roads, protest outside BJP MLA’s residence

    By PTI
    AMBALA: Haryana farmers on Thursday blocked traffic in Jind and Hisar while some of them protested outside a ruling party MLA’s residence, a day after a no-confidence motion focussed on the farmers’ issue was defeated in the state Assembly.

    A group of farmers held a protest in Sirsa and Jind to protest against those Haryana legislators who had not backed the no-confidence motion.

    The protesting farmers also blocked Hisar-Jind road for some time and raised slogans against the state government.

    A large number of farmers held a protest outside the Prem Nagar residence of ruling BJP’s Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel objecting to a remark made by him in the state Assembly.

    The protesters claimed Goel had made some indirect remark in the context of farmers.

    On Wednesday, Congress members had rushed to the Well of the House taking objection to the remark made by Goel while he was speaking on the no-confidence motion moved against the BJP-JJP government by the main opposition party.

    ALSO READ: BJP-JJP government defeats ‘no-confidence’ motion in Haryana Assembly

    The protesting farmers also said they will not allow BJP and JJP MLAs to enter their villages to address any public meeting because they were not putting pressure on the Centre to repeal the three farm laws.

    Goel was not at his residence when the farmers were demonstrating outside.

    In Sirsa, a group of farmers burnt an effigy of Haryana Lokhit Party chief and local MLA Gopal Kanda.

    They said Kanda had not stood with the farmers and voted against the no-confidence motion.

    The BJP-JJP government in Haryana had survived the floor test on Wednesday, comfortably defeating the no-confidence motion moved against it by the main opposition Congress.

    The motion was defeated following the division of votes.

    Fifty-five members had voted against the motion while 32 legislators had backed it.

    Meanwhile, talking to reporters in Chandigarh on Thursday, senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala said had former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda resigned along with all his party MLAs instead of bringing a no-confidence motion, then, by evening the government would have collapsed.

    He claimed that a huge rebellion would have taken place against the BJP all over the country, which would have given great power to the farmers forcing the Centre to repeal the three “black agricultural laws”.

    Notably, Chautala had recently resigned as MLA over the farmers issue.

  • Will purchase wheat from farmers under MSP till their stocks exhaust: UP govt

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: In a bid to allay farmers’ fears over the new farm laws, the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday announced that it will procure their wheat on hiked MSP till their stocks end.

    The wheat procurement by government agencies would commence on April 1 and would continue till June 15. The registration process for the framers interested in selling their crop opened on March 1 and so far, over 30,000 farmers have got themselves registered, a government spokesman said. 

    In its new Wheat Procurement Policy, the government said it had hiked the MSP for wheat by Rs 50. It is now Rs 1975 per quintal for 2021-22 against Rs 1925 per quintal last year.

    Under the new policy, the state government has fixed no target for wheat procurement. It will continue wheat purchasing on increased MSP till farmers have the stocks to clear their doubts regarding MSP.

    “Farmers are welcome to sell as much wheat as they want on MSP between April 1 and June 15,” said the spokesman.

    ALSO READ | Will go to Kolkata, urge farmers to defeat BJP in polls, says Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait

    He added that about 6,000 procurement centres would be set up across 75 districts of the state. An app was also being developed to make the information about procurement centres available to farmers, he further said.

    The spokesman said that efforts would be made to keep the procurement process free from the middlemen. “For this purpose, the government has made registration mandatory for farmers on the portal of the food and civil supplies department. Those who are already registered need not apply again,” he added.

    The revenue department will verify farmers who are willing to sell more than 100 quintals of wheat on MSP to the government. For the first time, entire wheat purchasing will be done through e-Pos machines after taking thumb impressions and providing receipts to farmers to keep middlemen out.

    The state government has already begun a training session for employees being engaged in wheat procurement to make them aware of the new procurement policy and handling e-POS machines, portal, and tabulation works. The training will end by March 20.

  • Will go to Kolkata, urge farmers to defeat BJP in polls, says Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI
    BALLIA: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said he will go to Kolkata this week to urge farmers to defeat the BJP in the West Bengal Assembly elections, but claimed he is not supporting any political party.

    Farmers are distressed, and election will be discussed with them, Tikait said, adding that he is not going to West Bengal to seek votes.

    “I will go to Kolkata on March 13. The clarion call for a decisive struggle will come from Kolkata. We will talk to farmers there and urge them to defeat the BJP,” the BKU leader said.

    He was in Ballia to address a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’.

    Replying to a query if he would meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tikait said there was no such programme.

    The farmer leader said a call has already been made to defeat the BJP in the five Assembly elections scheduled to begin from March 27, but asserted that he would not support any political party.

    Besides West Bengal, Assembly elections are going to be held in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

    Counting of votes will take place on May 2.

    ALSO READ: Farmers ready to continue protest on Delhi borders till Modi government lasts, says Narendra Tikait

    Tikait said the farmers’ movement would continue and that he is ready to negotiate with the central government.

    “If the Indian government talks, we will talk,” he added.

    Replying to a question, the farmer leader said he had no intention to contest elections.

    Addressing another farmers’ gathering in Rasda, Tikait said a long fight will be fought and success will be achieved.

    Earlier, at a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Sikandarpur, about 32 km from the district headquarters earlier, the farmer leader launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government.

    Without taking any names, he said “robbers” have to be driven out of Delhi.

    In an apparent reference to the prime minister, he said, “He will prove to be the last emperor.”

    Taking potshots at the ruling BJP, Tikait said he too belonged to Ayodhya and he is also a descendant of Lord Rama.

    He stressed that there is no need to divide the farmers’ movement on regional lines.

    Stating that political parties too have now started organising Kisan Panchayats, Tikait said 2021 would be the year of the movement.

    The echo of the farmers’ movement in India is being heard across the world, he added.

    Giving a call to intensify the farmers’ struggle, which he said is a symbol of their self-respect, Tikait warned that if the farmers are defeated, labourers and youth will also be defeated.

    Stressing that the fight has to be organised with full force, he asked the farmers to mend their tractor and trolleys and be prepared.

    He said the call to leave for Delhi could be given any day.

    He also called for giving a boost to the movement in neighbouring Bihar.

  • India summons British envoy over discussion on agri reforms in UK Parliament

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India summoned the British High Commissioner on Tuesday and conveyed its strong opposition to the “unwarranted and tendentious” discussion on India’s agri reforms in the UK Parliament, describing it a “gross interference” in politics of another country.

    The Ministry of External Affairs said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla advised the envoy that British MPs should refrain from practising “vote bank politics” by misrepresenting events, especially in relation to another fellow democracy.

    India’s demarche to the envoy came a day after several British MPs held a discussion in the parliament over issues around the use of force against protesters opposed to agricultural reforms in India and journalists being targeted while covering the protests on the outskirts of Delhi.

    “Foreign Secretary summoned the British High Commissioner and conveyed strong opposition to the unwarranted and tendentious discussion on agricultural reforms in India in the British Parliament,” the MEA said in a statement.

    “Foreign Secretary made clear that this represented a gross interference in the politics of another democratic country,” it said.

    The MEA further said: “He advised that British MPs should refrain from practising vote bank politics by misrepresenting events, especially in relation to another fellow democracy.”

    ALSO READ | ‘One-sided and false assertions’: India condemns UK lawmakers’ debate on farmers’ stir

    Separately, the Indian High Commission in London condemned the false assertions in a “distinctly one-sided discussion”.

    It pointed out that foreign media, including British media, had been present and witnessed the events surrounding the farmers’ protests in India first-hand and any “question of lack of freedom of the media in India does not arise.

    “We deeply regret that rather than a balanced debate, false assertions without substantiation or facts were made, casting aspersions on the largest functioning democracy in the world and its institutions,” a statement issued by the high commission said.

    The debate stemmed from an e-petition that attracted over 100,000 signatures on the parliamentary website.

    It said that a false narrative over farmers’ protest was sought to be developed even though “the High Commission of India has been, over a period of time, taking care to inform all concerned about the issues raised in the petition”.

    Farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at several Delhi border points since November last year, demanding that the government repeal the three new farm laws and provide legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

    As the UK government minister deputed to respond to the debate, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) minister Nigel Adams said the close UK-India relationship did not hinder the UK in any way from raising “difficult issues” with India, even as he reiterated the government line that agricultural reforms are a “domestic matter” for India.

  • Right to protest and express dissent comes with certain duties: Supreme Court

    By Online Desk
    The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition challenging the Shaheen Bagh protest judgement passed last year which said protests should be at a designated place.

    The order passed on February 9th said that the right to protest cannot be anytime and everywhere.

    The plea was filed by one Shaheen Bagh resident Kaniz Fatima and others seeking review of last year’s verdict of October 7.

    The top court, which considered the matter in the judges’ chambers also rejected the prayer for open court hearing in the matter.

    Dismissing the petition, the Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Aniruddha Bose and Krishna Murari felt that the earlier judgement “does not suffer from any error apparent warranting its reconsideration.”

    The Constitutional scheme comes with a right to protest and express dissent but with an obligation to have certain duties, the order said.

    “There may be some spontaneous protests but in case of prolonged dissent or protest, there cannot be continued occupation of public place affecting rights of others,” it read.

    Shaheen Bagh order

    In October 2020, A bench headed by Justice S K Kaul passed the verdict on batch of petitions against the anti-CAA protests in the national capital’s Shaheen Bagh.

    It said protests should be at a designated place and any occupation of public places or roads by demonstrators, which cause inconvenience to a large number of people and violate their rights, is not permissible under law.

    The apex court also said that the authorities concerned should not hide behind courts and act on their own in such situations.

    The bench also said that the balance has to be struck between the right to protest and other public rights like the right to movement.

    “Dissent and democracy must go hand in hand but protests should be confined to designated areas,” said Justice SK Kaul.

    Restrictions were imposed on the Kaindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch and the Okhla underpass, which were closed on December 15, 2019 due to the protests.

    The Shaheen Bagh protests began against the Centre’s Citizenship Amendment law (CAA) which aimed to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

    Later, due to COVID-19 pandemic, the area was cleared.

    (With ENS, PTI inputs)

  • Farmers’ protest to go on for indefinite period, warns Rakesh Tikait

    By ANI
    GHAZIABAD: Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the ongoing farmers’ protest will go on for indefinite period as there is no planning regarding the duration yet.

    “Farmers’ protest will go on for indefinite period as there is no plan currently. It might continue till October,” Tikait told ANI.

    He said this in response to the statement of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Gurnam Singh Charni that the farmers’ protest will continue till October.

    Tikait had earlier warned the farmers’ agitation will not conclude unless government repeals the three newly enacted agriculture laws and it may go on till October.

    On Friday he mentioned that the farmers do a protest every year on October 2 at the Ghazipur border.

    “Tear shells and bullets were fired at the farmers on October 2, 2018, at the Ghazipur border. Every year we do a programme here at the Ghazipur border and will also do it this year,” he said.

    Asked about the debates in the Parliament on the farmers’ issues, Tikait said it is good that the issue is being raised and debated in the Parliament.

    ALSO READ: ‘Hum do hamare do’ – Rahul Gandhi tears into Modi govt on farm laws

    He further said there must be a genuine reason that the country’s farmers are protesting for so long.

    “The entire nation’s farmers are on streets protesting, there must be a reason to it. If the farm laws are not accepted by the farmers, then what is the compulsion of not repealing them?” Tikait asked.

    He agreed with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remark of ‘Hum do hamare do’ as he believed that it truly seemed like only four people are running the country.

    Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

  • Farmers ‘demonstrations will be held across the country today; Farmers’ organizations will hold traffic around 25 places in Chhattisgarh

    In protest against the Central Agricultural Law, farmers will block the National Highway for three hours today. Farmers organizations in Chhattisgarh have decided to jam the wheel to strengthen their movement.
    According to farmer leader Sanket Thakur, farmers will agitate in all the national highways and state highways of the state and demonstrations will be held in about 25 places by jamming the wheel. Traffic on the highway will be completely closed from 12 noon to 3 pm.
    Only emergency vehicles will be allowed to go. Explain that the farmers are agitating against the three black laws in different parts of the country, demanding the return of 3 agricultural and general public bills brought in the name of agricultural reform by the central government and guaranteeing MSP of crops.

  • Three contentious farm laws will affect MSP, weaken mandi system: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Raising concerns over the three new farm laws, NCP President Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the legislation will adversely affect the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and weaken the mandi system.

    Pawar said he virtually participated in the all-party meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which issues related to the proposed agenda for the Budget session, farmers’ agitation, women’s bill and other important issues were discussed.

    The farmers have been seeking repeal of three farm bills: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    Pawar said the new laws will adversely impact the MSP procurement infrastructure thereby weakening the mandi system.

    MSP mechanism has to be ensured and strengthened further, he added.

    “Reform is a continuous process and no one would argue against the reforms in the APMCs or Mandi System, a positive argument on the same does not mean that it is done to weaken or demolish the system,” Pawar tweeted.

    “During my tenure, the draft APMC Rules – 2007 were framed for the setting up of special markets thereby providing alternate platforms for farmers to market their commodities and utmost care was also taken to strengthen the existing Mandi system,” he tweeted.

    Pawar, who served as Union Agriculture Minister from 2004-2014, said he was also concerned about the amended Essential Commodities Act.

    “According to the Act, the Govt will intervene for price control only if rates of horticultural produce are increased by 100 per cent and that of non perishable items increase by 50 per cent.

    “Stock piling limits have been removed on food grain, pulses, onion, potato, oilseeds etc.

    It may lead to apprehensions that Corporates may purchase commodities at lower rates and stock pile and sell at higher prices to consumers,” Pawar tweeted.