The Farmers Protest :: Outline and Outcry of " DISBELIEF " and being Monopolised and Exploited

Pics -::  The Farmer Protest 

Why are the farmers protesting in India?

On September  27th  2020, the President of India gave his assent to the new three farm bills, those were proposed and passed by both the houses of parliament i.e. Lok sabha and Rajya sabha. Having passed the bills in both the house all of a sudden we see that there is a huge outcry by the protesting's who term themselves as the farmers.  First we should know that why there is so much controversy around these farm bills.

Controversy: 

These bills were  brought into act in the midst  of Covid pandemic when country was going through a lot of problems like job losses, migrant workers crisis, less availability of hospital beds, etc. But Government in hurry proposed and passed these bills in parliament in a very fast manner which many believe are unconstitutional but it is not as these bills were passed at the house of the parliament . There were some parties which protested against the same but that is always the case with the oppositions, who so are they maybe. way. So many doubts on Government raised by farmers and opposition. Till 26th November 2020,  the government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were in denial mode and saying that these farmers belong to Punjab and Haryana, and that they are misguided by opposition party but when farmers blocked Delhi borders, the change erupted and the government is ready to talk with farmers.

What are the three farm bills?

Let me talk about and take the THREE bills straight rather than making an Ocean out of the same. 

Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020:

1.  It enrails about the expands ie the expansion of  the scope of trade areas of farmers produce from select areas to "any place of production, collection, and aggregation". It gives the farmers the well and a good area to cover up and make the move for selling his produce at the place where he feels that he would get a better or the best returns for the same. 
2.  It allows electronic trading and e-commerce of scheduled farmers' produce.
3.  It prohibits state governments from levying any market fee, cess or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms for trade of farmers’ produce conducted in an ‘outside trade area.
4. 'There were two concerns that always use to hit the farmers . these are illustrated below and the clearance of the concerns are described as under - :: 

Government- The present Government has stood up and it has made the way for the farmers more clear and more certain by allowing the farmers the leverages .  Farmers can sell their crops in any state of India. Farmers are now free. This bill will defeat the monopoly cartel at APMC (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) mandis.

Farmers concern- The concerns of the farmers have been well ascribed, defined and cleared .They are no more a bondage and are a slave to any bondings.  They already have a choice to sell their crops at APMC mandis or outside mandis. If they want to sell in another state, they can. They are already free and have a choice even before these new farm bills come. But they sell in APMC mandis because there is a assurance of MSP( minimum support price) from government but outside mandis, there is no MSP and no government interference.

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Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020:

1. provides a legal framework for farmers to enter into pre-arranged contracts with buyers including mention of pricing.
2. defines a dispute resolution mechanism. I shall take the concerns here as well and ascribe them with a clear and a definite sense.  The two concerns are as under-:

Government- This Bill makes provisions for the setting up of a framework for contract farming. The farmer and an ordained buyer can strike a deal before the production happens.

Farmers concern- There is a provision in new bills that trade outside APMC will be tax free and farmers can only contact SDM (Subdivisional District Magistrate) and DM ie the District Magistrate  in case of dispute with ordained buyer ( or corporates), farmers can't go in courts (Supreme and High court) for justice. In the beginning of  the systems in the coming 2–3 years, ie, two to three years,  corporate will give best price of crops to the farmers but after 2–3 years when mandi system collapses and if at all it collapses,  (because APMC is not tax exempted and farmers will go for private traders due to tax exemption), corporate will exploit farmers and their land. This ius a FEAR that is emerging for the farmers, and it is NOT that the fear is natural that erupts and exists but the opposition is pumping these fears in the mind of the farmers, and the ignorant one's are falling to this prey and are insisting for all the undoings that they should not be doing at all.This is the crux  and the most important thing is that there will be no judiciary courts and government interference in the corporate wrong doings. Corporates will be fearless and will do what they want. This is what is the feeling amongst the farmers, and that is making the things worst . 

Now I turn my reading to the essential commodities act .This I ascribe and describe in short and in minutes and here are those-:

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020:

1.  It allows for the center to regulate food items through essential commodities. This amendment removes cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities.
2.  It requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce be based on price rise. stock holding limit on commodities will only be imposed under exceptional circumstances like national calamities, famine with a surge in prices. Also, processors and value chain participants are exempted from the stock limit. You can say that private players can store crops upto 100 percent, there is no stock limit for private players.
3. Here again I describe the two concerns straight and in short - :: 

Government-  Presently the government argues that the amendment will boost investment in agriculture sector and will also create more storage capacities to reduce post harvest loss of crops.

Farmers concern-:::

1. Foodstuffs like pulses, onions, edible oils, cereals, potatoes are the part of daily essential commodities. Now the government will not regulate supply of such items which implies and  means the chances of hoarding are high.
2. Corporates will store crops, Foodstuffs more than their capacity for their self greed and when supply goes low, demand rise then corporates will manipulate the price and sell them for profit. This will create huge poverty in rural areas. Consumers have to pay more for Foodstuffs.    The Retreats of the " APMC "  is something that I can describe here and that also makes an interesting reading and I take the opportunity to describe them in short . 

The retreat of APMCs may not help farmers without a regulatory framework for private markets. 

The Bihar government decided to abolish the APMC system altogether in 2006. But In a study of agriculture in Bihar last year, the National Council for Applied Economic Research reported increased volatility in grain prices after 2006, which negatively affected the crop choices and decisions of farmers to adopt improved cultivation practices. It concluded that Bihar’s repeal of the APMC system and consequent increase in price volatility could be one of the reasons for low growth of agriculture in the Bihar.

My opinion: There is definitely some flaws in APMC mandi system and it is the government responsibility to solve that issue. But for solving flaws in mandi system, government should not demolished APMC system but it ought to regulate and control the APMC by bringing in a hard and a TOUGH law to measure the illegalities that accrues in it, and ,  and allow private players in agriculture sector ; government should remove the flaws and expanded the APMC system throughout the country because government can only regulate APMC system, they can't regulate large corporates and We should learn from Bihar  

 It is because Punjab and Haryana and their  farmers (green area in the map) are the pretty ones benefiting from MSP and APMC markets because APMC system is well developed only in these two states. Whereas states like Bihar abolished this system and look how their income fell. A huge amount of farmers were forced into labor jobs because of it. Initially farmers protesting were from Punjab and Haryana but when farmers from different states understood the importance of MSP and APMC markets, they joined the hands with Punjab and Haryana farmers. Now this farmers protest has become the nationwide protest.

What Is That It Could Be Done To Make It Better And Farmer-Friendly ::

To cite for some example- let us say. There might be some chance where the Government has fixed the MSP, say for Rs 15=00/Kgs for the sale of wheat.Now there may be some who could compel the farmers to sell it for Rs 13=00/Kgs, say.This cases and these kind of the cases ought to be taken very seriously and law should take the course immediately to bring these culprits to the books and the worst offender being the farmer ought to be compensated.

The second example is if the farmer moves to the District Magistrate at his area for justice, or the High Court, or the Supreme Court then no sooner the farmer registers his case, the case of the Farmer ought to be heard immediately and keeping the other cases asdie his verdict ought to be given within a period of seven days. This is a national rule that ought to be made and passed by the Government endorsed by the Supreme Court and the Hon'ble President Of India.

Also for every cases th farmer puts up in the District Magistrate's court, or in the High Court or in the Supreme Court, the Farmer ought to be NOT charged even a single naya paisa as his fee to anybody at these courts. This will revive his confidence in the Government .

They have the FULL CONFIDENCE in the Present Prime Minister but NOT in the system. These Farmers are  of the view that Mr Modi as the Prime Minister will and is NOT going to last for ever. He will go in a moment when the time takes him away from the post and the chair of the Prime Minister. 

What will happen if these small kind of intricating problems that arise as  the doubt and the confidence get lowered by then takes place or occurs at large then. They need some guarantee for it and for that they need the Government to act.

The Indian Government SHOULD NOT TAKE THE BILL BACK but should listen to the farmers about all these kind of teething problems and then they should bring about amendments to these kind of problems assuring the farmers that their future is very safe and that they WOULD NOT BE EXPLOITED at all in the near future 

Conclusions - :: 

It is here that the Government of the day has to look into this area of concerns which gives rise to many doubts and raises many a FEAR on the issue and here it is the Government has to BUILD a STRONG regulation and rules for the APMC to totally prevent the Farmers from being exploited and the  corporates to completely demolish and crush them under the wheel of the MONOPOLY .This is what is the farmers are wanting from the Government in assurance in writing and by the LAW to be enforced which PROTECTS them from being monopolised and exploited .

The political parties as an opposition is uselessly taking the advantage of the situation which the Farmers too need to understand and I personally DO NOT give a DAMN, A HOOT to these Bollywood stars and some sportsman doing their USELESS BITS by threatening to give back the awards.If they want, YES THEY CAN. Nothing is going to SHRINK for India if they do that and the AWARD WAPASI GIMMICK too is not going to help anybody. Only some amendments in the law which can take place by a COOL talks between the farmers and the Government can help and dissolve the matter. 

This is where the equation needs to be solved and the lines DRAWN.

Well That is it .

Regards and Thanks

Pics

 

Shyamal Bhattacharjee 

Mr Shyamal Bhattacharjee, the author was born at West Chirimiri Colliery at District Surguja, Chattisgarh on July 6th 1959 He received his early education at Carmel Convent School Bishrampur and later at Christ Church Boys' Higher Secondary School at Jabalpur. He later joined Hislop College at Nagpur and completed his graduation in Science and he also added a degree in    B A thereafter. He joined the HITAVADA, a leading dailies of Central India at Nagpur as a      Sub-Editor ( Sports ) but gave up to complete his MBA in 1984 He thereafter added a Diploma In Export Management. He has authored THREE books namely Notable Quotes and Noble Thought published by Pustak Mahal in 2001 Indian Cricket : Faces That Changed It  published by Manas Publications in 2009 and Essential Of Office Management published by NBCA, Kolkatta  in 2012. He has a experience of about 35 years in Marketing

 

Signature of Shyamal Bhattacharjee

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