The three farm bills that have been passed in the Parliament yesterday were initially articulated by the Congress and its allies, while in power, but had hesitated in the legislation process on account of vote bank politics. Prime Minister Modi and his government have shown the guts to take on the vested interests that have a vice-like grip on agriculture and the farming activities in our country with special focus on the middlemen of Punjab and Haryana. The 'opposition unity' in the name of fighting the bills is pure 'perfidy', if I may venture on a new phrase because perfidy can never be pure!
1. Trade of farmers' produce
(a) Key Benefits
* Allows intra and inter trade of farmer's produce * Outside the physical premises of market yards by APMC Acts * Outside trade area of farm produce * Electronic trading can be set up by companies * Market fees abolished.
(b) Who gains and how?
* Farmer by having free access to markets across the country * Not bound by lehacy restrictive APMC acts * Can trade in any place * FDI will flow in * Economy improves.
(c) Who loses and how?
* Traders, commission agents and other functionaries who have organised themselves into associations or cartels * Do not allow easy entry entry of new persons into market yards * Stifling competition * Acts are highly restrictive in promotion of multiple channels of marketing.
(d) Why opposition?
* Most APMCs have a limited number of traders operating, which leads to cartelization and reduces competition * Undue deductions in the form of commission charges and market fees.
2. Farming agreement
(a) Key benefits
* Arrangement between a farmer and a buyer * The minimum period one crop season or one production cycle of livestock * The maximum period is five years * Pricing of farming produce in agreement * Guaranteed price for the produce plus an additional amount specified * Process of price determination * Dispute settlement with conciliation process and board.
(b) Who gains and how?
* Farmer is now having an agreement and does not depend on cartels' prices * One of the root causes of suicides is the farmer's inability to get the cost with profit * No action can be taken against the agricultural land of the farmer for recovery of any dues.
(c) Who loses and how?
* Exploitation by middlemen is totally minimised * With agreement in place, chances of dispute resolution legally is available * Cartels lose their role.
(d) Why opposition?
* Sense of insecurity as more foreign companies with better infrastructure may come * Any monopoly of politicians + select traders is finished.
3. Essential Commodities
(a) Key benefits
* Central government may regulate the supply of food items including cereals, pulses, potatoes, onions, edible oil seeds and oils, only under extraordinary circumstances * Stock limit on agricultural produce based on price rise.
(b) Who gains and how?
* End consumer by having regular supply without artificial scarcity * Farmer may be able to get higher price for his produce.
(c) Who loses and how?
* Middle men who were creating false food and essential commodity scarcity for artificial price escalation benefits * Margins of cartels eroded.
(d) Why opposition?
* Unholy nexus, if any, between politician, middle men and producers are removed.
* * *
A Must Read
One day the guru told the disciple, "Go to the rose garden and come back with the tallest rose plant. One condition is that you should not come back the same path you took while going".
The disciple went to the garden and came back empty handed. When asked why, the disciple gave his answer, "As I went in, I saw a tall beautiful tree. But, I kept going for the next tree expecting a better tree. But moving forward, I came across only smaller plants and since, I cannot trace the path back, I had to return empty handed.
The guru said : this is Love.
Then he said, "Now go to the sunflower garden and bring the most beautiful sunflower plant. The additional condition is that once you pluck a sunflower plant, you can't pluck another".
Now the disciple goes into the garden and comes back quickly with a plant. The guru asks, "Is this the most beautiful plant?"
The disciple says, "No guru. Based on my previous experience, I did not want to miss and hence, I took the first plant which looked beautiful to me. On the way back, I saw more beautiful plants but since I was not allowed to pick another plant, I came back with the plant, I had originally picked".
The guru smiled and said : this is Marriage.
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Suma was given a day off by Lekha as she wasn't well. Learnt the intricacies of the induction cooker and the washing machine!
The much dreaded rain was feeble and less spread!
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