Govt. ready to talk to farmers on 3 farms laws — Tomar

Guwahati, Feb. 19 (IANS): Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said here on on Thursday that the Central government is willing to talk to the farmers protesting against the three farm laws, and denied any link between BJPs loss in the Punjab civic polls and the farmers’ protest over the farm legislations.

Tomar, who is also BJP’s election in-charge for poll-bound Assam, reiterated that the government has always called for clause by clause discussions with the farmers on the three Central farm laws.

“For several years, we have fought elections in Punjab in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal. But in the recent municipal polls, both the BJP and the Akali Dal fought separately. This has no link with the ongoing farmers’ protests,” Tomar told the media.

The minister added that the recent Union Budget has proposed a number of schemes for the welfare of the farming community.

With Assam going to the polls in April-May this year, the Congress and other anti-BJP parties are all set to make the farmers’ agitation a poll issue.

Tomar said that there is pro-incumbency in favour of the ruling BJP in Assam and the party is all set to come back to power with a thumping majority.

“BJP would attain its target of 100 plus seats in the Assembly polls. In the last five years, the people of Assam have witnessed a positive change. Before 2016, there was hardly any development in the state. Corruption was at its peak and there was no law and order when the Congress was at the helm of affairs,” the BJP leader said.

‘Govt. keen to utilise more technologies in farming sector’

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said that the government is keen to use more technology in farming so that the farmers can get more price from their produce.

“Besides use of more technology, various efforts were undertaken and many schemes launched for the further improvement of the agriculture sector. Today in terms of food production, we produce more than our requirement. We are self-sufficient. Anything related to agriculture produce, we are either number one or number two,” Tomar said at a public gathering here.

“It is the time to move from agriculture production-oriented policy to farmer income promotion policy.”

The minister said that the traditions of villages and the strength of the farmers have proved praiseworthy time and again.

“When very recession had hit the markets, our agriculture sector saved the nation… even during Covid-19 pandemic, we saw how the agriculture sector boldly performed.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants Aatmanirbhar Bharat. For that we have to develop villages focusing on the welfare of the farmers,” he added.

Tomar said that besides promoting cluster farming, the government would form 10,000 new FPOs (Farmers Producers Organisations) to strengthen the farming sector, especially the small scale farmers.

“Since Independence, the agriculture sector’s contribution to growth has not been at the desired level. In other sectors, foreign and private investments were allowed to boost the growth, but it was not allowed in the agriculture sector,” he said.

Talking to the media on Thursday, Tomar said that the Central government is willing to talk to the farmers protesting against the three farm laws, and denied any link between BJP’s loss in the recent Punjab civic polls and the farmers’ protest over the farm legislations.

The senior BJP leader had arrived in Guwahati on a two-day visit to the election-bound Assam and held meetings with the state party leaders to discuss various aspects of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Finance and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Sarma, state BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass, BJP national Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda, who is in charge of Assam affairs, and many other senior party leaders were present in the meeting.

Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry are expected in April-May.