3 legislations to counter farm laws

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 19

Apart from tabling a resolution rejecting the three laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 — the Punjab Government is likely to bring three legislations to counter anti-farmer provisions in the three laws.

Huge Social media outreach planned

In a bid to reach out to farmers and get their feedback as soon as the farm legislations are tabled in the Assembly and CM’s speech is flashed, the government is planning apt use of the social media.

The amended legislations will, however, require the assent of the President of India. Sources said since the lifting of ‘rail roko’ by farmers was directly linked to their demand for rejection of the three Central legislations and bringing amendments to the laws to ensure minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, the government was incorporating these in the legislations.

Congress MLAs have demanded inclusion of a provision in the legislation that provide for action against those buying foodgrain below the MSP. Ferozepur (Urban) MLA Parminder Singh Pinki, Bagha Purana legislator Darshan Brar and Zira MLA Kulbir Zira have urged Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to include the provisions in the legislation to be tabled in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday. They said protecting the MSP was central to the agitation by farmers.