PM says MSP will continue, hails passage of farm bills
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the passage of the agriculture reform bills in Rajya Sabha as a ‘watershed moment’ and assured protesting farmers that the Minimum Support Price system will not be touched and government purchase of their produce would continue.
“A watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture! Congratulations to our hardworking farmers on the passage of key bills in Parliament, which will ensure a complete transformation of the agriculture sector as well as empower crores of farmers,” Modi said on Twitter, shortly after the bills were passed amid opposition chaos in the Upper House.
A watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture! Congratulations to our hardworking farmers on the passage of key bills in Parliament, which will ensure a complete transformation of the agriculture sector as well as empower crores of farmers.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020
For decades, the Indian farmer was bound by various constraints and bullied by middlemen. The bills passed by Parliament liberate the farmers from such adversities. These bills will add impetus to the efforts to double income of farmers and ensure greater prosperity for them.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020
Our agriculture sector is in desperate need of latest technology that assists the industrious farmers. Now, with the passage of the bills, our farmers will have easier access to futuristic technology that will boost production and yield better results. This is a welcome step.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020
I said it earlier and I say it once again:
System of MSP will remain.
Government procurement will continue.
We are here to serve our farmers. We will do everything possible to support them and ensure a better life for their coming generations.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2020
“For decades, the Indian farmer was bound by various constraints and bullied by middlemen. The bills passed by Parliament liberate the farmers from such adversities. These bills will add impetus to the efforts to double income of farmers and ensure greater prosperity for them,” he added.
“These (farm) bills will add impetus to efforts to double income of farmers and ensure them greater prosperity. Farmers for decades bound by constraints & bullied by middlemen; bills passed by Parliament will liberate them,” the PM tweeted.
“I want to reiterate it again that system of minimum support price (MSP) & govt procurement will continue,” PM Modi said.
The two contentious farm bills -- Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 -- were passed amid chaos in the Rajya Sabha, three days after they were cleared in the Lok Sabha.
A voice vote to pass the bills was drowned amid sloganeering by opposition members, some of who wanted the discussion to be continued on Monday, while others wanted the bills to be sent to a Select Committee. Some MPs trooped to the Well of the Upper House, while Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien rushed to the Chair and tore up with documents.
With PTI, News18 inputs
