Maharashtra government introduces 3 bills to counter Centre's farm laws

The Shiv Senaled MVA government in Maharashtra on Tuesday introduced three amendment bills in the assembly related to agriculture cooperation food and civil supplies in a move to counter the new farm laws enacted by the Centre that are facing stiff opposition from a section of cultivatorsThe bills have provisions for higher than MSP rate for produce in farming agreement with traders timely payment of dues threeyear jail term and Rs 5 lakh fine or both for harassment of farmersThey also have provisions to give power to the state government to regulate and prohibit production supply distribution and impose stock limits on essential commoditiesRevenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the central farm acts were passed without discussion and several of their provisions encroach on rights of state governmentsThe state government has right to make laws and we want to suggest amendments to the central agriculture laws which we feel are antifarmer he saidThe bills which have been placed in public domain for two months for suggestions and objections are Essential Commodities Amendment Farmers Empowerment and Protection Guarantee Price Agriculture Related Agreements Maharashtra Amendment and Amendments to Central Government FarmerProduce Trade and Commerce Promotion and FacilitationThe draft bills have been prepared by a cabinet subcommittee headed by deputy chief minister Ajit PawarPawar said the draft bills will be in public domain for two months during which all stakeholders can hold discussions and debates on their provisionsThe bills will be taken up for discussion and passage during the winter session of the legislature in Nagpur held in December he saidAgriculture Minister Dada Bhuse said farming agreements between traders and farmers will be considered invalid if the price of agri produce being offered is not more than the MSP minimum support priceIf the farmer is not paid in seven days of sale of his produce a criminal offence can be lodged against the trader and punishments include three year in jail and Rs 5 lakh penalty Bhuse saidCooperation minister Balasaheb Patil said under the central acts there is no control over trader in case of a default in payment to farmer after sale of agriculture produceTo ensure farmers get remunerative price for their agriculture produce within time and to protect their interests the state government has decided to amend theCentres Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Promotion and Facilitation Act in its application to Maharashtra Patil saidThe draft bill proposes that no trader shall trade in any scheduled agri produce unless he has a valid licence from the competent authority Patil saidIn any dispute arising out of a transaction between a farmer and a trader parties may seek solution by filing an application to the competent authority and an appeal against the order of competent authority to the appellate authority he saidFor harassment of farmers punishment is not less than three years imprisonment and fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh or both he saidFood and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal said in the Essential Commodities Act 1955 which has been amended by the Centre there is no provision for the state government to regulate or prohibit production supply distribution imposing stock limits under extraordinary circumstances which may include famine price rise or natural calamityHe said the state government proposes to amend the act in its application to Maharashtra and assume power to regulate and prohibit production supply distribution and impose stock limitsAlso read Will protest every day outside Parliament during monsoon session Samyukt Kisan MorchaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever