Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar: Won’t repeal farm laws, ready to discuss other options with farmers

On Thursday reiterated that the Centre will not repeal the three farm laws but is ready to discuss other options with farmers.

On Thursday Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar restated that the Centre will not revoke all the three farm laws and said that the government is ready to hold on the talks with the farmers to discuss other options available.

He has also urged the farmers to end their protest and come forward for further negotiations.

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The government and with the help of unions have held about 11 rounds of talks, the last being on January 22, to breakout the deadlock and end all the farmers’ protests ongoing in different states. The talks are on hold and not yet resumed post the widespread violence during an ongoing tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26 2021.

On Thursday Tomar also said that “I want to appeal to protesting farmers to end their protest and to hold talks with us. The government is ready for discussions.”

The union minister also added that the Agricultural Produce Market Committee will be strengthened and efforts will be made to provide more resources to the APMCs.

In the statement, Tomar also added that “Rs 1 lakh crore allocated under Atmanirbhar Bharat to Farmers Infrastructure Fund can be used by APMCs. APMCs will not be done away with. After the implementation of farm laws, APMCs will receive crores of rupees from the Centre’s Infrastructure fund, which will strengthen them and will be useful for more farmers.”

Last year, the Centre also expressed its willingness on the wider role for APMCs as well as considered tax equality between APMCs and private mandis.