Odisha’s ruling BJD opposes Farm Bills in Rajya Sabha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today opposed the controversial farm bills moved in the Rajya Sabha by Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

The regional party said that the two legislations — the Farmers’ and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020  and  the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 — fail to provide adequate protection to small and marginal farmers and sharecroppers. It further demanded to send the bills to the Select Committee for fine-turning the farm bills.

“The farm bills are largely good in intent but problem in implementations and there is a possibility of cartelisation. Are the bills only for big traders? asked BJD MP Amar Patnaik in Rajya Sabha today, urging the Union Government to consider sending these two bills to the Select Committee.

The Farmers’ and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 were passed in Lok Sabha on September 17.

It is pertinent to mention that, the passage of these bills in Lok Sabha saw protests across the nation with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigning from the Union Cabinet on Thursday in protest against the “anti-farmer” bills.

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