Farmers protest: What Centre proposed to farm leaders at key round 4 meeting?

Union minister Piyush Goyal said that the "innovative" and "out-of-the-box" idea came up during the discussions with the farmers.

The central government on Sunday night held the fourth round of talks with the leaders of farmers' unions amid the ongoing ‘Delhi Chalo’ march demanding unmet promises. During the meeting in Chandigarh, the government proposed some ideas, including a five-year plan, to the farmers's leaders.

Farmers are stopped at the Shambhu barrier, a border between Punjab and Haryana on February 18, (Reuters)

Following this, the farmers have put a hold on the march, general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Sarwan Singh Pandher said.

Talking to reporters after a four-hour-long meeting, which commenced at 8.15 pm, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that an "innovative" and "out-of-the-box" idea came up during the discussions and the farmer leaders would decide on the government's proposal by Monday morning.

This was the fourth meeting between union ministers and farmer leaders. They had met earlier on February 8, 12 and 15 but talks remained inconclusive.

Here's what Centre proposed to farmers:

• The Centre has proposed a five-year plan for buying pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices.
• According to Piyush Goyal, cooperative societies such as the NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers Federation) and NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) will enter into a contract with those farmers who grow 'tur dal', 'urad dal', 'masoor dal’ or maize for buying their crop at MSP for next five years.

• The Union minister said there will be no limit on the quantity (purchased) and a portal will be developed for this. “It will save Punjab's farming, improve the groundwater table, and save the land from getting barren which is already under stress,” Piyush Goyal said.
• The Centre has also proposed that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) will buy cotton from farmers at an MSP for five years through a legal agreement.
  
  Farmers' protest
  
  Farmers and labourers under the banner of the SKM (non-political) has launched the agitation, ‘Delhi Chalo’, on February 13 for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) on all crops, complete loan waiver of farmers and labourers.
  
  They also demand a complete withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the 2020-21 stir, compensation for farmers injured in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh and various other demands.