Will free farmers from exploitation by middlemen: Sanjay Kishan

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: As a part of the State-wide motivational campaign in favour of the three farmers' bills, Sanjay Kishan, Minister of State for Tea Tribes Welfare and Labour, stated that the bills intended to provide better choices for agricultural farmers and would free farmers from the exploitation of middlemen.

Highlighting the three bills- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Bill 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020, Kishan in a press meet at Circuit House, Tinsukia on Saturday, held under the aegis of Tinsukia district committee of BJP, said that some circles were creating hue and cry without any basis and attempting to misguide common people and farmers.

Elaborating on the bills, he pointed out that the first bill would pave the way for better prices by selling their produce directly in the market and to customers directly, bypassing middlemen and abolishing the mandi system. The bill on agreement stipulated that the prices of produce would be subjected to an agreement between traders and farmers prior to production and traders must abide by the agreement even if the price fell below the price at which the agreement was made. About the third bill, the minister said the bill amended the previous Essential Commodities Act, 1955, facilitating farmers to stockpile their produce in cold storage and to release according to market demand.

The minister asserted that the bills would augment a drastic change in the livelihood of the farmers. While the farmers in Tinsukia with whom he interacted during the past couple of days welcomed the government's move, he called upon the educated unemployed youths to take up agriculture and its allied avenues as means of livelihood. The government was in the process of providing subsidies in agricultural sector, Kishan announced, adding further that he would distribute 5 lakh seedlings for free in 4-5 bighas of land at Laipuli and Langkhasi this season.

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