Congress MP opposes bills related to agriculture marketing in LS, says no mention of MSP

Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Thursday strongly attacked the government over two bills aimed at "agriculture marketing reforms", saying that it is seeking to take away the power of states and the legislations were not in the interest of farmers.

Opposing the bills in the Lok Sabha, Bittu said farmers in Punjab and Haryana were protesting against them.

Bittu, who is MP from Ludhiana, said though the government is saying that there will be no impact on the provisions of minimum support price (MSP), no assurance has been given in the bills.

The Lok Sabha took up 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 together for discussion.

The bills seek to replace two ordinances brought by the government earlier this year.

The Congress MP said BJP's ally Shirom Akali Dal (SAD) was also opposed to the bills.

"Today farmers are on roads. Have you mentioned MSP guarantee in any of the three bills? SAD is also speaking against you. Today whole Punjab is on roads amid coronavirus. They have apprehensions. You have forgotten farmers. Punjab farmers are not rich and 75 per cent have two to three acres land," Singh said.

"If we talk about the provisions... it is not your domain, why are you dealing with it? Why do the state legislative assemblies exist then? Will you bring everything under the ambit of Parliament? This is not possible," he said.

Moving the two bills for discussion in the House, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said they were in the interest of farmers and provide them with the freedom to sell their produce.

Tomar said that the bills will lead to more investment in agriculture and help improve the income of farmers.

( With inputs from ANI )