October 8,2017:

Supreme Court has expounded that,"It is not within its jurisdiction to generally direct implementation of National Policy framed by Government. Government is seized of the matter and will implement its policies".

Apex Court Bench comprising of Justice Madan B.Lokur, Justice S.Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta dismissed the Writ Petition filed by Consortium of Indian Farmers Association, seeking directions to the Government to implement National Policy for Farmers-2007, framed by Union Ministry of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

National Policy for Farmers was laid on table of Rajya Saha on November 23, 2007 and the Lok Sabha on November 26, 2007, and was accepted by the then UPA Govt.

Central Government had constituted the Nationa

l Commission on the Farmers in the year 2004 under Chairmanship of Sompal, and reconstituted it under Chairmanship of M.S.Swaminathan.

Commission submitted its final report in October 2006. Based on which the recommendations made by Commission, Centre formulated National Policy for the Farmers, 2007 in consultation with the various Central Ministries and Departments and State Govt.

Modi Government has stated before Rajya Sabha in 2015 that National Policy for Farmers, which aims to improve the economic viability of the farming and increase net income of the farmers, has been already implemented.

But the Government submitted before Apex Court, during hearing of another case on the farmers’ suicides in 2016,  that there was a need to relook at the policy.

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