The Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria today expressed happiness at the significant increase in MSP or minimum support prices of Rabi crop that have been recently announced by the Union Government. Shri Kataria said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given a clear message that the protection of interests of farmers is top priority of the Government. Shri Kataria said that MSP system and Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act will remain completely unaffected by the farmer’s product trade and commerce (enhancement and simplification) bill, 2020 and APMCs will continue to work as earlier. He said that the bill allows additional trade outside the APMC complex and farmers can enter into direct agreement for the sale of their produce which will benefit both consumers and farmers by reducing costs and saving time of farmers thereby increasing their income.

The Minister of State highlighted the fact that farmers will have the facility of crop price guarantee by agreement under farmers (empowerment and protection) price guarantee and agriculture tax contract bill, 2020 which even has penalty provision in case of non-payment of price due to any reason. Every trader will have to make payment to farmers on the same day or within amaximum of three days time. Simultaneously, the bill has no bearing on MSP. The bill provides farmers such a grievance redressal mechanism where farmers can go to SDM in any dispute. In case of any arrear, no action will be taken on farmer’s land.

Shri Rattan Lal Kataria further said that by passage of these bills, the market for the agriculture sector will expand substantially andnew opportunities for industries will emerge. Farmers will contact the agro industry directly,diversification of crops will be promoted and possibility of increase in market prices of agro products will always remain. As a result of all these interlinked activities, agriculture sector could take a form of business.Shri Kataria alsosaid that PM ShriNarendraModi is implementing schemes in a phased manner to double the income of farmers. Developing agro sector and protection of interest of farmers is priority of the government. Work has been done on grass root level in this direction. Farmer’s organizations have complete faith in PM Modi's policies.

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