AMN / CHANDIGARH
The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed three Bills to counter the Centre’s farm laws.
The official resolution moved by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the three laws countering the Centre’s farm laws, were passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously.
“Passage of the our 4 Bills today is truly a victory of Punjab. I am happy that all parties came together & supported our Bills for protecting farmers against Anti-Farmer Laws passed by the Centre. I stand committed to my farmers and will not let anyone destroy their livelihoods” says CM Captain Amrindar Singh.
The Vidhan Sabha session has also been extended by a day.
Amarinder also appealed to the protesting farmer unions to lift their ‘rail roko’ protests as it was bleeding Punjab.
“Losses to the industry are of Rs 40,000 crore and the 170 lakh tonnes of paddy being procured this year can be accommodated only if the trains are allowed to transfer the previous year’s stocks,” he said.
Earlier, the two-day Punjab Vidhan Sabha special session resumed on Tuesday with Amarinder addressing the House and moving a resolution rejecting the three farm laws passed by Parliament.
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The resolution mentioned that the three laws were “anti-farmer”. The Vidhan Sabha had earlier passed a resolution rejecting these laws.
“We reject the three agriculture laws as well as the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020. These laws are against the interests of the farmers of Punjab, Haryana and western UP. The House unanimously rejects these three laws and the proposed amendment,” he says.
The CM then tabled three Bills in the House.
The three Bills are The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha session’s Live telecast stops the moment Navjot Sidhu begins his speech.
As per The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill no sale of paddy and wheat in Punjab will be valid unless it is paid equal to or over MSP. Imprisonment of three years and a fine in case anybody compells a farmer to sell his agricultural produce below MSP.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance (special provisions and Punjab amendment) Act, makes it mandatory for those entering into contract farming with farmers too will have to pay the MSP or over the MSP. Punishment of three years if the Act is violated.
Essential Commodities (Spl Provisions and Pb Amendment) Bill keeps all powers to fix stock limits of food grains with state. Rejects Centre’s powers to fix stock limits. Imprisonment of three years and a fine in case anybody compells a farmer to sell his agricultural produce below MSP.