PM Modi Assures MSP, Highlighting Benefits Of Three Farm Laws In Rajya Sabha 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the 8th of February, addressed the Rajya Sabha and spoke about the three controversial farmer laws.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks address by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.

On the 7th day of the Union Parliamentary Budget Session, Mr. Modi replied to the debates over the three farm laws, passed in September 2020.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) of the opposition parties like the Indian National Congress (INC,) the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK,) the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and others staged a protest extending support to the protesting farmers.

They even started a debate over the farm laws, which is a threat to the farmers of India.

The protest over the farm laws started with the President’s address on the 29th of January, the beginning of the Union Parliamentary Budget session 2021.

A dozen opposition parties collectively boycotted the President’s address on the 29th of January.

However, on the 8th of February, during the debate on the Motion of Thanks, the opposition parties let it happen smoothly and agreed to listen to the arguments and statements of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the three laws.

Once again, Mr. Modi assured the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers amid the controversial laws. Mr. Modi said, “MSP tha, hai aur rahega.” He further said, “We need to collectively convince the farmers that the farm laws will be beneficial to them. I’m doing this, you do this as well. Let all abuses come my way, you can take credit for good things.”

Mr. Modi in his speech highlighted the other welfare schemes of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for farmers. He said, the PMGSY scheme was one such scheme to benefit the farmers of India. When the road connectivity improves, it enables the produce of the farmers to reach distant places. There are efforts like Kisan Rail too. The need of the hour is to improve the lives of the small farmers.

In addition, PM Modi said, since 2014, when the NDA came in power, they initiated changes in the agriculture sector aimed at empowering the farmer. The crop insurance scheme was changed to make it more farmer friendly. The PM-KISAN scheme was also brought in.

Mr. Modi said, “We are working for the small farmers.”

farmer

Emphasising on the need to defeat poverty for the progress of India, Mr. Modi said, “We will have to rid ourselves of poverty if we have to progress. We will have to do a lot more besides what we’ve already done. Once a poor person gets confidence, he will himself be empowered to do this.

The major highlight of Mr. Modi’s speech today, was to assure support to farmers through the three farm laws.

The three farm laws which were proposed and passed by the Central Government in September 2020 witnessed criticism and protest from farmers.

Farmers across India, especially from Haryana and Punjab are demanding to scrap the three laws.

According to the farmers the three laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, would take away Mandi System and Minimum Support Price (MSP) leaving them at the mercy of corporators.

Meanwhile, the Budget Parliamentary Session, which started on the 29th of January, would continue till the 13th of February. The session would be conducted in two phases, while the ongoing first phase would conclude on the 13th of February, the second phase would begin from the 8th of March till the 8th of April.

Stay tuned for further updates.