Reject draft agri policy, farmer unions urge Punjab Govt
Amidst shifting of responsibility between the Centre and the state over who should talk to farmers protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February, the state government today held a meeting with representatives of 15 other farmer unions, over the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.
Though no representative of the SKM (Non-Political) or the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, the two forums protesting at Punjab borders, were present at the three-hour meeting held between farmer leaders and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, the leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha-affiliated unions asked the state to reject the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, as it was against the interests of the state and its farm-based economy.
The state government had to send its observations, comments and objections to the draft policy by December 10. However, acceding to the request of the state government today, the Centre has asked it to send the response by January 10.
During the meeting today, leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Dr Darshan Pal, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Rajinder Singh Deepsinghwala, Jangveer Singh Chauhan and Ruldu Singh Mansa, besides others, emphasised that the policy sought to promote privatisation in the food procurement business, which, they said, would lead to monopolistic trade practices in agriculture.
They also demanded that an all-party meeting be convened at the earliest to build a wider consensus against the draft policy, as it was allegedly aimed at allowing private parties to go in for contract farming. All leaders reportedly said they would protest tooth and nail any attempt to implement that.
Khuddian assured them that the AAP government would watch over the farmers’ interests, and that he would hold consultations with agriculture experts and other stakeholders.
