Farm reform bills will rid farmers and farm sector of middlemen and other bottlenecks — Rijiju

Itanagar, Oct. 1 (PTI): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday launched a scathing attack on opposition parties for opposing the farm reform bills, saying that the legislations will rid farmers and the farm sector of middlemen and other bottlenecks.

The new farm legislations brought by the BJP-led NDA government will benefit the farmers throughout the country and after independence, the Modi government took a big step to improve the agri and allied sectors in the country, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Sports and Youth Affairs told reporters in the sideline of an official function here.

“The protests against the legislations by the opposition parties represent political dishonesty and the influence of middlemen,” Rijiju said.

He said that many forces are trying to ‘mislead’ farmers without going through the clauses of the farm reform bill.

Both the houses of the Parliament last month passed the three bills namely — Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill.

Rijiju added that the new farm reform Acts assured the farming community that minimum support price (MSP) and government procurement of their produce will continue along with a lot of other options for them.

“The Congress in its election manifesto promised to bring succour to the farming community through certain legislations, but they never implemented practically. They (Congress) should be happy that their promises to the farmers have been fulfilled by our government through agriculture reform legislations and instead they are protesting and instigating farmers to protest,” Rijiju said.

The Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal West Parliamentary Constituency asserted that through the new act, the government would provide all sort of support including technical to the farmers to double their income by 2022.

“This legislation will benefit the farmers of all the states. The agriculture reforms legislations will make free the farmers from the grip of the middleman, and they will be able to sell their produce to buyers from across the country at a price they deem to be fair and at a time of their choosing,” the minister said.

“Freedom to sell at the farm gate will do away with transportation expenses, and thus boost incomes. This is a giant stride towards the fulfilment of the dream of ‘One Nation, One Market’ after Independence,” Rijiju added.

“No government will frame laws which will be detrimental to the farming community,” he said.

Rijiju said that Arunachal Pradesh with suitable climatic conditions could be a major producer of agro produces. He said that the new agriculture reforms will herald a new era of development in the states agri and allied sectors.

“Most of our youths will be able to create a position for themselves in these sectors and government will provide all necessary support. Once we define the progressive farming sector, where our youths can come and join, then the capacity will increase,” he added.

The Union minister also appreciated Chief Minister Pema Khandu for giving more attention to the agri and allied sectors in the state saying, this would be the foundation for Arunachal Pradesh to acquire the ‘progressive’ status.

Earlier, addressing an interactive session with the MLAs at Sidhartha Hall here on Agriculture Reforms Act 2020, Rijiju called upon the elected members to work with ‘team Arunachal’ spirit and to create awareness among the farming communities in their respective constituency on the new legislations.

He also urged upon the people to shun the dependency syndrome on the government and to take farming as an alternative for self reliance. “Turn Arunachal Pradesh into a productive state by taking farming as a way of life,” he appealed to the people pointing out that every Arunachalees have inherited land capital where they can start farming.