New Delhi: As you are aware, after in depth deliberations, the Indian Parliament has given legal shape to farm reforms. These reforms have not only removed many barriers for farmers, but also provided new rights and new opportunities to them. Farmers will now have the option to get better returns for their produce by selling it to anyone, anywhere. The system of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Government procurement system through Procurement Bodies (APMC or Mandis) is continued. New act will encourage procurement bodies to provide better services to the farmers. There are other empowering measures inbuilt into the act such as safeguarding farmers’ interests in contract farming.
- The Government of India is also taking steps to overcome the imbalances in complementary agricultural facilities such as warehouses, cold storages and processing centres. To this end, an Agricultural Infrastructure Fund has been established with a seed money of Indian Rupees One Lakh crore (approximately USD 15 billion).
- These farming reforms have been welcomed by many Farmers Organizations across India, who have also started taking advantage of these new laws. However, as you are aware, certain sections of farmers and farmer organizations are protesting against these farm reforms in India and abroad because of the misinformation being spread about withdrawal of minimum support price and procurement bodies. Following the democratic tradition in India on peaceful protests and grievance redressal, the Prime Minister and the Government of India has reached out to the agitators to address their concerns and to apprise them about the actual facts of the new reforms.
- The Government of India is committed to the welfare of Indian farmers and to protect their interests and to bring prosperity in their lives. In this spirit, H.E. Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar, Hon’ble Ministerof Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has written an open letter to the farmers of India. An English translation of the letter is attached herewith for your kind information. It will help your esteemed media house understand the facts of the matter more lucidly and to prevent misinformation.