Opposition members in the Lok Sabha plan to move a resolution against two agricultural marketing reform ordinances promulgated during the lockdown on Wednesday afternoon, following which Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will move that both the Bills replacing those ordinances be passed.
MPs from the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Shiv Sena, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and both Communist parties will move a resolution that the House disapproves of the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, promulgated by the President on June 5. The government says the legislation will promote transparent and barrier-free trade with more choices and remunerative price realisation for farmers.
The Opposition MPs will also move a resolution against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 which is being replaced by the Bill of the same name. The legislation seeks to facilitate contract farming agreements between primary producers and agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers.
Both Bills have also been opposed by farmers groups outside Parliament, with largescale agitations intensifying especially in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. On Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating his opposition to the proposed laws, and also asking him to make the Minimum Support Price a statutory right to protect farmers.
