NEW DELHI: The Union Budget 2021-22 does not offer anything to farmers and they would not benefit from it, said Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday.
Sibal told in Hindi, “The Central government is just offering dreams. I think they did not give weightage to two important sectors namely defence and agriculture. The defence budget has not increased and the agriculture sector has no new scheme. In the agricultural sector, all they have done is to highlight some figures.”
“In Centre’s eyes, farmers have no problem. Then, why are the farmers protesting? From this Union Budget, farmers will not benefit.”
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws: 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.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman while briefing the media today said, “Speaking on the farm laws, the government is and has always been open to dialogue with farmers. The agriculture minister has been ready to have a clause-by-clause discussion with farmers on the farm laws. Hence, we believe that dialogue is the way forward.”
Union finance minister rolled out the Union Budget 2021 today in Parliament.