NEW DELHI: Political parties who have taken a U-turn on the new farm reforms should be proud that Modi has introduced policies which their leaders had once endorsed, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday while replying to the motion of thanks on President’s address in the Rajya Sabha.
PM Modi speaking about the opposition’s support to the ongoing agitation against the new farm laws said that his predecessor Manmohan Singh too had pitched for a single market to sell agriculture produce.
The Prime Minister proceeded to read out a quote in Rajya Sabha which he said belonged to the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The PM added that those who have now taken a U-turn on the farm laws might want to agree with Singh if not with Modi.
“There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get the highest rate of return,” said the PM quoting Manmohan Singh.
“…It is our intention to remove all those handicaps, which come in the way of India realising its vast potential at one large common market,” PM Modi added.
“Manmohan Singh Ji had made his intentions clear to give farmers the freedom to sell their produce, and have just one market. And we are doing it now. You all should be proud.”
“You should be saying, ‘See, what Manmohan Singh Ji had said, Modi is having to do now’. Be proud!” said the PM.
PM Modi’s statement comes amid the protest staged by farmers at different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws.
The three contentious laws are Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Give chance to agri reforms, MSP to stay: PM Modi
PM Modi while replying to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, said that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will continue and so will the monthly ration scheme to 80 crore people.
“MSP was there. MSP is there. MSP will remain in the future. Affordable ration for the poor will continue and mandis will be modernised,” the Prime Minister added.
Appealing to the agitating farmers to end their protest, Modi said talks should be held to resolve the issue.
He said that the objections in the House on the farm laws were procedural and even the opposition accepts that the country needs agri reforms.
The Prime Minister said the number of farmers of less than one hectare has risen by 68 per cent and Rs 90,000 crore claim has been disbursed under the crop insurance scheme.
Rs 1.15 lakh crore have been given through the Kisan Samman Nidhi, he said.
“It is our intention to remove all those drawbacks which come in the way of India realising its vast potential at becoming one large common market,” said the PM.
(With inputs from agencies)