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Ready to lead delegation if MSP clarification needed, says SAD chief
Sukhbir Singh Badal reminds that the Union agriculture minister had already assured that MSP would continue to be offered to farmers
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday offered to lead a delegation of farmer organisations to seek any clarification needed by them on the farming produce trade and commerce ordinance 2020 from Union agricultural minister N S Tomar, adding that his party would always stand for the farmers and never allow tinkering with the system of MSP and assured marketing of food grains.
“I am also committed to take an assurance in parliament that MSP and assured marketing would continue unhindered,” he said.
Sukhbir said the Union minister had already assured that MSP would continue to be offered to farmers, however, he was ready to take a delegation of farmer organisations to the minister to seek any clarification if needed on this issue.
The SAD chief asked the Punjab chief minister to tell Punjabis why they had amended the APMC Act to allow creation of private markets, direct marketing, electronic agricultural marketing and single unified licence for entire state in 2017.
“The Congress government in state also participated in the consultative process which led to the framing of the Agriculture Ordinance. It is unfortunate that now the Congress was trying to deceive farmers by indulging in mischievous propaganda which has been launched for the purpose of diverting attention from failures of the Congress government,” added Sukhbir.
The former deputy CM added that even now multi-nationals and flour mills did not pay any tax to purchase food grains. “Then why resort to scare tactics by claiming they will capture the entire market when the Union agriculture minister has already clarified that the entire government procurement will take place from mandis. This means there will not be any difference in revenue collection of around ₹4,000 crore,” he added.
