New bills will become the basis for economic prosperity of farmers: CM

Team Absolute|Bhopal Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that there is need for maximum relief to farmers under the present circumstances. The two bills brought by the central government for agricultural reforms, so that the farmers can decide the prices for their crops themselves and avail maximum benefits as per one nation one market, will prove to be revolutionary. Chouhan has welcomed the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Service Ordinance, 2020 passed in Lok Sabha. Chouhan has described the steps being taken by Prime Minister Modi for the welfare of the farmers of the country as very effective and relevant. Chouhan said that today the farmer of the country is keen to become selfreliant. The central government also wants to realize this mantra. Today the farmer of the country wants to be free from control. The intention of the Agricultural Reforms Bill is also that the farmer can fix the price of his crop himself and will be free to sell and purchase the produce outside the boundaries of the states. The farmer will be able to get beneficial price through the medium of alternative trade. This will help in simplifying the inter-state and intra-state business. Mandis operating under the States’ Act will also function, while keeping the Minimum Support Price (MSP) unchanged. Chouhan said that positive changes will result due to increase in investment in agriculture sector. As a result of these bills, not only the agricultural sector but our entire economy will become stronger.Chouhan said that now marketing options are available to farmers. The PM Kisan Scheme was also implemented for income support to farmers. The central government also made a significant increase in the budget in the field of agriculture. Rs 1,34,399.77 crore was allocated in the year 2020-21, which is more than 1,30,485.21 crore in the previous year. The allocation was also increased in the year before the previous year. The minimum support price was set at one and a half times the cost of production in the Union Budget 2018-19. Sowing of most crops also increased significantly. In the Rabi season 2020, 3.9 crore metric tonnes were purchased in the country till last month. Rs 75 thousand crore was paid to the farmers on the support price. Similarly, an amount of Rs 24 thousand crore has been paid to farmers by purchasing 1.32 crore metric tonnes of paddy. Farmers have been paid an amount of Rs 1,13,290 crore on selling pulses and oilseed crops in addition to wheat and paddy. This amount is 31 percent more than the previous year.