Punjab govt's farm-related bills provide minimum of 3 years' jail for sale/purchase below MSP
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Special Session: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday tabled farm-related Bills, which provide for imprisonment of not less than 3 years and fine for sale/purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below MSP.
Also, he announced an exemption of farmers from the attachment of land up to 2.5 acres and prevention of hoarding and black-marketing of agricultural produce, among other things.
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The provision on punishment for sale/purchase below MSP has been incorporated in The Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.
One of the four farm-related bills presented, in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during a special session by the Chief Minister, provides that no sale/purchase is done below MSP and violation of the same shall invite imprisonment and fine as above.
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The Bill seeks to amend sections 1(2), sections 19 and 20 of the Centre’s Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020. It also proposes to add new sections that are sections 4, 6 to 11.
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020, also seeks to amend sections 1(2), 14, and 15 of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 to ensure that sale or purchase of wheat or paddy in the State is not allowed below the MSP.
The amendment bill also seeks to provide for punishment for harassment of farmers or payment of less price to the farmers by inserting new sections 6 to 11.
Both these Bills are aimed at preventing the damage apprehended by the farmers of Punjab with the enactment of the Central Act by restoring various safeguards, including the Minimum Support Price mechanism through the regulatory framework of the APMC laws, in order to secure and protect the interests and livelihood of farmers and farm labourers as also all others engaged in agriculture and related activities.
Meanwhile, to protect the consumers from hoarding and black-marketing of agricultural produce to secure, and protect the interests and livelihood of farmers and farm labourers as also all others engaged in agriculture and related activities, the state government has brought in The Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.
The Bill seeks to amend the Centre’s 'The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020' by amending section 1(2) and section 3(1A) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. It seeks to ensure status quo ante as of June 4, 2020, with regard to implementation of the Central Act namely, 'The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020'.
-PTC News
