Chandigarh: The Punjab government unanimously passed three Bills in the state Assembly on Tuesday to negate the Centre’s farm laws after over a month of vehement protest by farmers in the state, and across the country. Punjab became the first state in the country to formally reject the Central government’s three agriculture sector legislations,
The three bills are – the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill 2020, the Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020.
As per The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill 2020, the Bill provides that no sale or purchase is done below the MSP and violation of the same shall invite imprisonment of three years besides fine. It seeks to ensure that no sale or purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement shall be allowed below the MSP.
The Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020 keeps all powers to fix stock limits of food grains with state. The amendment rejects Centre’s powers to fix stock limits. Imprisonment of three years and a fine in case anybody compels a farmer to sell his agricultural produce below MSP.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020, makes it mandatory for those entering into contract farming with farmers too will have to pay the MSP or over the MSP. There will be punishment of three years if anyone is violating the Act.
The Bills were passed after an over five-hour discussion, in which BJP MLAs did not take part. The BJP has two legislators in the assembly.
The Chief Minister said in the Assembly as he moved the resolution and three of the four Bills, that if the central laws are not repealed, it would lead to anger among the youth. “I am not afraid of resigning. I am not afraid of my government being dismissed. But I will not let farmers suffer or be ruined,” he said.
Later, the Chief Minister, along with Congress, AAP and Shiromani Akali Dal MLAs met Governor V.P.S Badnore and submitted the House resolution.