Centre accepts demand of farmers, decriminalizes stubble burning: Agriculture Minister Tomar

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday informed that the Centre has decriminalized stubble burning as per the demand of the farmers' organizations.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday informed that the Centre has decriminalized stubble burning as per the demand of the farmers' organizations. This comes ahead of the scheduled tractor march on November 29 towards the Parliament announced by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait. The first day of the winter session of the Parliament will commence on November 29.

The government had earlier announced that the bill to repeal the three farm laws will be tabled in the Parliament on the first day of the winter session. "After the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, there is no point in continuing farmers' agitation. I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home," the Agriculture Minister said.

"Farmer organizations had demanded to decriminalize stubble burning by farmers. The government of India has accepted this demand as well," Tomar told ANI. "PM Narendra Modi has announced to constitute a committee to deliberate on the issues of crop diversification, zero-budget farming, and making the MSP system more transparent and effective. This committee will have representatives from farmers' organizations. With the constitution of this committee, farmers' demand on MSP stands fulfilled," he said.

Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on various borders of Delhi since November 26, 2020. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will bring necessary bills in the winter session of Parliament beginning later this month to repeal the farm laws. The Prime Minister also said that the government will constitute a committee to work on a new framework for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been listed for introduction and passage. It is among 26 new bills on the agenda of the government. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 seeks to repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. However, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers will go home after the government accepts their demand for a law on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

"We will withdraw our protest and will go home after the government accepts our demand for law on Minimum Support Price (MSP). We don't have the intention to stay put at the Delhi border till January 26. If the government accepts our demand on MSP and compensation for 750 farmers who died during the protest, then we will go back home," Tikait had said. (ANI)

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