To counter the 3 agriculture laws enacted by the Centre last month, the Govt of Chhattisgarh has decided to amend its own law on agricultural produce to bring in specific safeguards for farmers, senior State Govt officials aware of the development said, adding that this is a different route to what the Punjab Govt took when it passed a new set of legislation to negate the central laws.
A draft of the Chhattisgarh Agriculture Produce Market (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was on Monday approved by the state cabinet at a meeting chaired by CM Bhupesh Baghel, & would be tabled in the special assembly session to be held on Tuesday & Wednesday.
Chhattisgarh is the second state after Punjab to hold a special session of the assembly to counter the central laws. The Punjab assembly had on Oct 20 passed 4 bills & a resolution to invalidate the 3 farm laws, guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for wheat & paddy growers, & provide for imprisonment of not less than 3 years & fine for its sale or purchase below the MSPs, even as it is yet to get presidential ascent for the state legislations.
In the first week of Nov, the Govt of Rajasthan too will call a special session of the assembly in which bills to provide MSP protection for 7 staple crops would be introduced, State Govt Officials said.
According to a Senior Govt official privy to the developments, the Govt of Chhattisgarh, where the Congress is in power, has not opted for new bills to negate the central legislations because it could be in direct conflict with it.
“So, the state government has decided to amend its own Chhattisgarh Agriculture Produce Market Act for safeguarding the interests of the local farmers,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The Farmers’ Produce Trade & Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Bill, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, Farm Services Bill, 2020; & the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 were pushed through in Parliament last month. Big farmers’ groups, particularly in Punjab & Haryana, say the Centre’s farm reforms could pave the way for the dismantling of the system of MSPs & that deregulation will leave them vulnerable to powerful agribusinesses & in an even weaker negotiating position than before.
Agriculture minister Ravindra Chaubey said that of the three central laws, the federal Govt has gone back to original position on the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, after the onion crisis in the country.
He said that “As far as other two bills are concerned, the Chhattisgarh government will not bring any law to negate them but will amend Chhattisgarh Agriculture Produce Market Act. The aim is to counter the central law with our own state laws".
The Minister said the amendments by the state will increase the “operating area” of mandis to the entire state, like Rajasthan did in Sept to limit the impact of central farm laws.
“Through these amendments, we would be able to audit & investigate the procurement by private companies,” Chaubey said, adding that the Constitution has given the State Govt power to make laws for agriculture.
On why Chhattisgarh has opted for a different route than that of Punjab, a senior official at the Chief Minister’s Office said getting the governor’s approval for a new law would be difficult.
The Official said that “But, widening the ambit of our own APMC law will not be in conflict with the central farm laws & the governor should not have any problem in approving it".
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