Chandigarh: Farmers, camping at Punjab-Haryana border, have put on hold their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march after the Centre proposed five-year plan to buy pulses, maize, and cotton crops from them at the minimum support price (MSP).
This followed the fourth round of meting, which lasted for almost five hours and ended at around 1 am on Monday.
Speaking to journalists following the meeting at Chandigarh’s Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said that the panel has proposed that cooperative societies like NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India) and NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) would enter a five-year contract with farmers opting for crop diversification by growing pulses and maize, guaranteeing to purchase produce at MSP.
Similarly, the Cotton Corporation of India will enter into five-year contracts with farmers to purchase their produce, he said.
Goyal further said that there would be no limit on the quantity (purchased) and a portal will be developed for this. “The initiative will safeguard Punjab’s agriculture, enhance the groundwater levels, and prevent depletion of land already under strain,” he added.
The protesting farmers have sought two days to discuss the government’s proposal in their forums before deciding the future course of action. “”We will have a discuss in our forums on February 19-20 and take the opinion of experts. It could take a day or two,” said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher.
He, however, clarified that discussions regarding loan waivers and other demands are still pending. “The ‘Delhi Chalo’ march is currently paused but will recommence at 11 am on February 21 if all issues are not resolved by then,” he added
In addition to a legal assurance of MSP, the farmers are demanding for the adoption of the Swaminathan Commission’s suggestions, provision of pensions for farmers and agricultural labourers, waiver of farm debts, no increase in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police charges, seeking “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, restoration of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for the families of farmers who lost their lives during a previous protest in 2020-21.
The midnight meeting was attended by Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Talks remained inconclusive earlier on three occasions when the union ministers met to discuss with the farmer leaders on February 8, 12 and 15.
Before the fourth round of discussions, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) had declared its intention to gherao the residences of BJP leaders in Punjab for three days, starting Tuesday. Balbir Singh Rajewal also informed the media at Ludhiana that to stage protests at all toll plazas across the state and render them toll-free for all travellers from February 20 to 22.
