Farmers reject Centre’s draft proposal, to hold nationwide agitation on Monday

New Delhi: Protesting farmers today rejected the proposals given by the Central government. During a press conference at Singh, the farmer leaders said as per a decision the Delhi-Jaipur Highway will be blocked by December 12. Toll payments at toll plazas across the country will be cancelled on the day.

As per another decision taken at the meeting of farmer leaders at Singhu, an agitation on large scale will be held across the country on December 14. The farmer leaders said a decision has also been taken to boycott Reliance products and Jio products.

Earlier in the day, the Central government agreed to farmers’ demands giving its nod on key issues raised by them, including amendments in the three contentious farms laws that were the first and biggest issue driving the ongoing farmers’ protest.

The government communicated its stand through a written draft proposal to the farmers in which it agreed to two main amendments regarding the MSP and Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) but rejected their demand to repeal three farm laws enacted in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament– a move to break the impasse which has been going on for the last 14 days on the national capital’s borders with thousands of farmers sitting on roads crippling the supply chain.

In the proposal, the Centre has agreed to a written Minimum Support Price (MSP) assurance and uniform tax for private market yard and APMC — a marketing board established by state governments to ensure that farmers are safeguarded from exploitation by large retailers, as well as ensuring the farm to retail price does not touch excessively high levels.

There will be a provision for registration for private traders dealing in trade, the proposal says.

On the issue of scrapping farm laws, the government said it is ready to consider the provisions of the laws on which the farmers have raised objections.

(With IANS inputs)