New Delhi, Sep 16 (UNI) The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of misleading farmers and said the safety and welfare of farmers are ensured in the farm contract system whereas the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, both will be retained.
Addressing reporters at party headquarters here, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda said, 'The MSP system was there, is there and will remain in future also'.
He said APMC will continue, so will the MSP but the farmers will be free to choose the most profitable market of their choice.
Mr Nadda said lashed out the Opposition Congress for opposing the three bills -- Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, and The Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill.
The BJP leader pointed out that 'All three Bills related to the empowerment of the farmers are truly reformist and revolutionary. Farmers will be free to sell their produce in a competitive market of their choice. By opposition these Bills, Congress is only hampering farmers' all round development.'
Farmers will get freedom to sell their produce in any profitable market without any hindrance, he said, adding that 'The farm contract will be on the produce and not the land. The land will always belong to the owner. These are enabling legislation.'
He said that the Congress in its 2014 manifesto promised to take the steps in this regard but it could not win. Now when the Modi government is doing this work, then it is opposing the proposed legislations.
'By opposing these bills, Congress is actually hindering the empowerment of farmers and trying to deceive farmers,' he said and added that this opposition to farmers' legislations by the Congress displayed its double character.
Congress politicises everything and it knows nothing but politics, he alleged.
Mr Nadda said in his first and second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always tried to bring the farmers, poor, labourers, deprived and exploited sections into the mainstream by serving them and empowering them so that they can stand with strength.
All such programs and rules are made keeping in view farmers' interest, he averred.
He further said all policies of the Modi government are centred around empowerment of those sections of the society that are at the bottom of the pyramid. The poor, the marginalised and farmers are at the core of all the policies of the Modi government, he stressed.
Mr Nadda said Rs one lakh crore out of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package of Rs 20 lakh crore is allocated to enhance farm produce and its value addition.
Mr Nadda ruled out the the possibility of loss to farmers due to the abolition of the limit on cold storage system.
He clarified that this will increase the storage facilities till the farmers get the desired price of their produce and this will only increase the negotiating power of farmers.
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