Government to repeal 3 farm laws: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws. Appealing to farm organisations to end their protests, PM Modi also said that the government will complete the constitutional process of repealing the farm laws in the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

"We have decided to repeal the three farm laws. The Constitutional process to repeal the laws will be completed in the upcoming session of Parliament," Modi said in his address to the nation a short while ago.

Ever since Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Law, 2020, the Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Law, 2020 along with Amendment to the Essential Commodities Act were approved by Parliament in September last year, farm organisations had been protesting, fearing the laws will eventually end the system of government procurement.

While several rounds of negotiations between farmers and the government have failed since then, farm bodies had been sitting in protest on the borders of Delhi demanding repeal of the laws. Appealing to farmers to end their protests, PM Modi said, "I request you to end the protest and join your families and farm on the occasion of Guru Parv."

The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Law, 2020 enabled liberalisation of agriculture produce marketing and allowed farmers to sell their produce at places apart from their designated government mandis. The Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Law, 2020 facilitated contract farming, allowing them supply contracts with private firms. The Essential Commodities Act was also amended to remove stock limits so that procurers could buy from farmers feely.

Farmers, however, feared the move will eventually end the minimum support price (MSP)-based procurement system by the government.