Agriculture reform bills introduced in the Lok Sabha is for the benefit of farmers, says JP Nadda

New Delhi: BJP national president JP Nadda on Wednesday supported the three agriculture related bills introduced in the Lok Sabha even as the government is facing opposition on these bills from its allies like the Akali Dal and from farmers in Haryana and Punjab, who are protesting against the reforms bills.

The three bills are the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill 2020.

Elaborating BJP’s stand on the bill, he said: “The three bills are for the benefit of farmers. These are going to change the face of agriculture and the fortunes of farmers in the country.”

“In all his policy decisions, PM Modi has always kept farmers, the poor and people from the lower strata of society in mind. The PM’s only objective is to empower them and bring them to the mainstream of society,” he told mediapersons.

Regarding the government package, Nadda said a provision of Rs one lakh crore has been made to be spent on agriculture reforms and infrastructure growth.

Talking about the bills, he said that the Essential Commodities Act was brought in 1955 as there was a foodgrain shortage then. “In the new Act passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, this has been deregulated,” he said.

He explained that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Bill has been brought to ensure that farmers can sell their product anywhere and to anyone as per their wish. This will ensure better prices for farmers.

Regarding the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, he said that this will remove all the obstacles in the way of contract farming and will work as a model agreement between farmers and contract farmers.

Nadda criticised the Congress for opposing the bill. “By opposing the bill, the Congress has once again exposed itself. Looks like the party doesn’t want the welfare and development of farmers,” he said.