Lok Sabha Question No. 276 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-20
Subject: Resolution of Farmers Protests
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Su Thirunavukkarasar, Kunwar Danish Ali, Adoor Prakash, T. R. Paarivendhar, E. T. Mohammed Basheer, Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Gaurav Gogoi, Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 276

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  JULY, 2021

## RESOLUTION OF FARMERS PROTESTS

276.   SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU:

KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

DR. T.R.PAARIVENDHAR:

SHRI E.T. MOHAMMED BASHEER:

SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN

SINGH:

SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND    FARMERS    WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether various farmers organizations are continuing their dharna for months at the borders of the national capital, Delhi;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with their charter of demands;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  initiated  various  rounds  of  dialogue  with  the farmers  organizations,  if  so,  the  details  and  the  outcome  thereof  including  the number of consultations held before the passage of the three farm laws;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to solve the farmers' issue amicably and to end their agitation;
- (e) whether the Government is aware that a number of agitating farmers have died or  fallen  ill  during  the  movement,  if  so,  the  total  number  farmers  died/fallen  ill during the protest, till date; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to provide compensation to the families of the farmers who died during the movement and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

(a) & (b): Yes sir.  Some  of the farmers' unions have been agitating against newly enacted Farm Acts viz. 'The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation)  Act,  2020',  'The  Farmers  (Empowerment  and  Protection)  Agreement  On Price  Assurance  and  Farm  Services  Act,  2020'  &  'The  Essential  Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020'.

The demands of agitating farmer unions were:-

- i. To repeal all three new Farm Acts viz. 'The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020', 'The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance and Farm Services  Act,  2020'  &  'The  Essential  Commodities  (Amendment)  Act, 2020'.
- ii. Keeping farmers outside the penalty provision on straw burning under Air Quality  Management  in  National  Capital  Region  and  Adjoining  Areas Ordinance, 2020 and;
- iii. To withdraw the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
- iv. Issue related to procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP)

(c) & (d): Yes,  Sir.  Government  engaged  itself  actively  and  constantly  with  the agitating  farmers  unions  to  end  the  protests  and  11  rounds  of  negotiating  talks  were held between the Government & agitating farmer unions to resolve the issues. Details of the meetings are at Annexure-I . Various efforts have been made by Government to end the protests.

Giving top  priority  to  the  interest  of  farmers,  Government  vide  letter  dated  09 th December, 2020 addressed to Farmer Unions, explained point    by    point,    how    the concerns  expressed  by  the  farmers  were  being  taken  care  of  in  the  proposal  of  the Government of India.  Government also proposed to constitute a small group consisting of representative of farmers' unions, who can deliberate on Farm Laws clause-wise in a time  bound  manner  and  can  also  consider  other  issues  related  to  farmers,  which representatives of farmers' unions have not agreed.

However, Farmer Unions  never  agreed  to discuss  the  farm  laws  excepting  for demanding their repeal.

Government  is  always  open  to  discussion  with  farmers  Union  and  will  remain open to discussion with agitating farmers to resolve the issue.

Draft of the Ordinances had been circulated to various Ministries/ Departments; NITI Aayog etc. for their comments. State Governments were also consulted through Video Conferencing (VC) on 21st May, 2020, which was attended by the officials of 13 States/ UTs,  to  obtain  feedback  on  new legal  framework  facilitating barrier  free  interState  and  intra-State  trade  in  agriculture  produce  to  provide  choice  to  farmers. Government of India has proactively undertaken efforts on series of extension activities through webinars, online conferences, workshops, teleconferencing, social media, print media, electronic media with the stakeholders on the aforesaid three Ordinances and thereafter on respective Acts.

(e) & (f): The Government of India has no such record. However, Government of India during discussion with farmers' Union appealed to them that children and elders especially  women  should  be  allowed  to  go  home  in  view  of  the  cold  and  COVID situation. Regarding compensation, No Sir, in view of the above.

Annexure-I

|   Sl.No | Rounds of negotiating talks with agitating farmer unions   | Date of meeting   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|       1 | 1 st Round                                                 | 14.10.2020        |
|       2 | 2 nd Round                                                 | 13.11.2020        |
|       3 | 3 rd Round                                                 | 01.12.2020        |
|       4 | 4 th Round                                                 | 03.12.2020        |
|       5 | 5 th Round                                                 | 05.12.2020        |
|       6 | 6 th Round                                                 | 30.12.2020        |
|       7 | 7 th Round                                                 | 04.01.2021        |
|       8 | 8 th Round                                                 | 08.01.2021        |
|       9 | 9 th Round                                                 | 15.01.2021        |
|      10 | 10 th Round                                                | 20.01.2021        |
|      11 | 11 th Round                                                | 22.01.2021        |

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