'Centre pushing controversial farm laws through backdoor,' ASHA activists say

Bengaluru: The Union government's Draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing is a surreptitious attempt to push many provisions of the controversial farm laws, especially the de-regulation of agricultural markets to leave farmers at the mercy of the corporate players, the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) has said.

Responding to the draft issued on November 25 by Surendra K Singh, Convener of Drafting Committee at the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Rajinder Chaudhary and Kavitha Kuruganti of ASHA cited several measures proposed in the draft that seek to push controversial provisions of the farm laws that were withdrawn following opposition by farmers across India.

Pointing to several stipulations under chapter 7.1 of the draft policy, the co-convenors of ASHA said the same provisions in the farm laws were resisted "because the government was giving up its responsibilities in protecting farmers interests and presenting de-regulation as an answer".

They singled out the proposal for private markets (chapter 7.1.3.1), whole direct purchase by processors/exporters/organised retailers/bulk buyers from farm gets (7.1.3.2), deemed market yards (7.1.3.3), deregulation of perishables outside market yards (7.1.3.10) as examples of the attempt to revive the controversial farm laws.

The activists also noted that the 'ease of doing agri-trade' laid out in Chapter 8 of the draft policy cannot be at the expense of the farmers' interests. They said the promotion of contract farming (Chapter 10) "once again reeks of revival of one of the repealed farm laws".

'States not consulted'

ASHA noted that while agricultural marketing is recognised by the draft policy as 'state subject' under the Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India, the draft policy does not appear to have been framed after widespread consultation with the state governments.

Further the policy was issued on November 25 inviting comments within 15 days, too short a time for a matter that directly affects crores of farmers. The lack of adequate publicity would mean many farmers' associations would not have received the draft in time to enable them to read, discuss and respond to the proposed measures, they added.

The lack of any provision for the regulation of agricultural markets while pushing for opening multiple channels of marketing without government oversight can be exploitative as well as deceitful, defeating the "vision of the draft policy," they warned.

ASHA also noted the draft policy's failure to consider the long-pending demand of farmers for legal guarantee of minimum support price.