* Agricultural Reform Acts and General Consumers *
After the Lok Sabha passed the agriculture bill, the problems of the Modi government seem to have increased. Along with the opposition parties, now the co-operative parties are also seen opposing it. Not only that, but the farmers themselves are against this bill and agitations are taking place all over the country against it. However, against the backdrop that the Center has started work to promote contract farming, what is in the bill and why is it being opposed? It is in your best interest to know this as a customer.
1) Agricultural Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Accessibility) Bill, 2020,
2) Commodity Guarantee Prices and Agricultural Services Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) Bill 2020
3) Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
A study of these three laws shows that the consumer is not trying to see new agrarian reform legislation. In fact, it is a matter of life and death for all of us. Understanding is essential. The government has removed grains (pulses, wheat, rice, etc.), pulses, oilseeds, potatoes, onions, etc. from the list of essential commodities while making changes in the bill. This is because the Third Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill is in the context of the Agricultural Commodity Storage Limit Act. Under the new law, there will be no limit on storage of agricultural commodities. Therefore, entrepreneurs will get direct access to agribusiness on the basis of this Act. Entrepreneurs and traders can abuse this law for profit by making huge stocks. The new Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill does not provide clarity on how to control the situation if traders and industrialists decide to buy agricultural commodities from farmers at low prices and create a shortage of agricultural commodities in the market for profiteering. This is a big shortcoming in the law.
To know exactly how many problems will arise in the future as a result of this
It is important to know the Essential Commodities Act as the government can issue orders under the 1955 Act to control the production, distribution, trade and commerce of essential commodities.
Under this Act, if a person is trying to obstruct the supply of essential commodities, the State Government, District Magistrate and Commissioner of Police may locate the person concerned.
Complaints from citizens or an organization about necessities of life are received by the competent authorities. Then action is taken as per rules. With the help of the state police, the Controller of Ration, the Collector / District Supply Officer conducts raids and criminals are arrested under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955; They are also prosecuted in court.
(Source: Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection)
But since the Modi government has removed agriculture from the list of essential commodities and enacted the law by passing a bill, it is clear that the law will be ineffective. It can be processed by the government to change its appearance, which means that the government can impose no restrictions on the price of the goods sold by the farmer to the company at any price as high as the company can collect from the customers and stockpile for it and the consumer cannot complain as these are essential commodities. These items are excluded from the list of essential commodities, so unless the government adds these items back to the list of essential commodities, consumers will have to buy at the rates that the daily ration companies call them, even the farmer. That means the company will be the customer We will all be held in high esteem for our daily bread
Here are some of the ones I found to be interesting:
Some of the dangers posed by these three laws
1) Disrupted markets will reduce the collective bargaining power of farmers. Bypassing the market committee in these laws will create many traders and companies. Since not all rules or practices are the same, the collective bargaining power that farmers had in the market committees or the space to rent them out would be lost. Lack of uniform rules will also weaken the existence of market committees.
2) When the prices of agricultural commodities fall, these laws will create a loophole for the government not to interfere in the market and traders will take advantage of it as there is no compulsion to guarantee prices.
3) Taking advantage of both the Agricultural Products Trade and Commerce (Incentives and Facilities) Act and the Essential Commodities Act, the big power companies entering the market of agricultural commodities will establish their monopoly by ending competition on the strength of market prices and stocks. It will permanently end the existence of both farmers and market committees.
4) Food security of consumers in this country will be threatened by stockpiling. Taking advantage of the Essential Commodities Act and the Contract Farming Act will increase stockpiling, as contract farming provides for unlimited storage.
5) The Government has made provision in these Acts for the farmer to seek redressal at the administrative level at the Deputy Collector level by closing the court option if he has any grievance regarding his agricultural commodity transactions which will make it difficult for him to get justice against big companies. Administrative officials will work for the interests of the government and this is against natural justice and a violation of basic human rights.
6) Violation of the rights of the State Governments - Agriculture, Market System, Intra-State Trade and Economy are all on the list of States, but the 3 laws enacted by the Center in this regard are encroachment on the jurisdiction of the States.
7) There is no clarity in these laws regarding the value to be paid to the farmer, in addition to determining the grading of his goods, weighing system. Which may lead to exploitation of the farmer.
8) Prices within the Agricultural Market Committees are set as benchmarks when dealing with outside private traders, but if these market committees themselves become weak, it will be difficult to determine such a benchmark.
9) Nowhere in the contract farming law is there a compulsory provision that companies should enter into a written contract, so there is a fear that the oral farming contract system will be used as usual.
10) There is no clarity in the Contract Agriculture Act as to who will be compensated in case of loss of crops.
In addition, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha is opposing the Electricity Act Amendment Bill 2020, as it is a conspiracy to abolish the subsidy on agricultural electricity bills as well as household consumption electricity bills.
Overall, the central government's policy behind passing these laws is clear
1) These 3 laws have been enacted in defiance of the Indian Constitution and Parliamentary system in the process of law making in a democratic manner.
2) The government intends to hand over the country's infrastructure to the private sector, saying that the investment in agricultural development will be made by the private sector without any investment in infrastructure.
3) The government will no longer accept the responsibility of the public welfare government till now and the role of the government is to ensure the security of the minority farmers and agricultural laborers themselves.
4) The Central Government may make any change in its approach to the policies so far, but is not prepared to take responsibility for it. Among them is the Essential Goods Service Reform Bill
5) By introducing the Essential Goods Service Reform Bill, the government has separated the items in the daily meal tray from the list of essential items. So what is essential in the eyes of the government?
6) The revenue which the State Governments were getting from the Market Committees will now go indirectly to the Center. Alternative reliance on the Center for state funding will have far-reaching consequences.
Against this backdrop, the farmers are opposing all the three Acts of the Central Government and it is imperative that these Acts be repealed immediately and it is the responsibility of all of us as ordinary consumers and citizens to continue this agitation till then. Because the Maharashtra government had reduced the skyrocketing prices of pulses and onions by using the Essential Commodities Act, but the Emergency Commodities Service Reform Bill has been removed from the list of essential commodities. Can't because because according to the new bill, cereals (wheat, rice), pulses, oilseeds like oil, potatoes, onions etc. are no longer essential for life, so it is very dangerous that no complaint and action can be taken.
* Enough gestures to the sensible *
Author: Dr. Reshma Azad Patil
Nipani
Mo. No: 7411661082
WhatsApp number: 9901545321
Email: reshmaazadpatil@gmail.com