Centre says it's open to suggestions on farm Acts, but won't repeal them

 

The comments came a day before more than 30 farmers' groups are scheduled to meet Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Food Minister Piyush Goyal

The central government is open to considering some suggestions from farmers on ways to improve the three agricultural Acts but will not repeal them as they have been passed by Parliament, sources said.

The bigger question of incorporating any provision that could give a legal standing to the minimum support price (MSP) is also not being considered at this stage as that will dilute the freeing up the market, the sources added.

“Any legislation is not an end in itself and there is always scope for improvement and if farmers’ groups feel that their advice can better the legislations, it could be surely considered, which can then be incorporated into the Acts either by way of amendments or through tweaking of the rules,” a senior official said.

The comments came a day before more than 30 farmers’ groups are scheduled to meet Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Food Minister Piyush Goyal for another round of talks to break the deadlock.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting for seven days at Delhi’s borders calling for the repeal of the three farm laws.

Meanwhile, the farmers’ groups called for a special session of Parliament to repeal the farm laws at a press conference on Wednesday. They also threatened to block other roads into the National Capital if their demands were not met.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held deliberations with Tomar and Goyal over ways to dispel concerns over the new laws.