Punjab to bring resolution against Centre’s agricultural marketing policy today
The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab is set to bring a resolution in the assembly on Tuesday against the Centre’s draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.
The party asserted that the draft policy resembles the contentious farm laws that were repealed in 2021 following widespread farmer protests. The AAP has already announced it rejects the Centre’s new policy, claiming it undermines the state’s authority over agricultural matters and attempts to re-introduce agriculture “through the backdoor”. The resolution comes in the wake of various farmer leaders urging the government to reject the framework.
“The Bhagwant Mann government will pass a resolution against the Centre’s anti-farmer agricultural marketing policy in the Vidhan Sabha. The resolution will be brought in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday (sic),” party spokesperson Neel Garg tweeted.
State Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian will bring a resolution on Tuesday during the two-day special Assembly session.
The proposed resolution argues that the draft policy is silent on the procurement of wheat and paddy at MSP, a crucial issue for Punjab’s farmers, reigniting concerns that the government may eventually phase it out. Instead, the policy focusses on promoting private markets, raising apprehensions similar to those during the 2020 farmers’ agitation.
The resolution also warns that the new draft policy’s push for private markets will undermine APMC markets, ultimately leading to their destruction. This shift could leave farmers dependent on private market owners, making them vulnerable to exploitation.
The Centre’s draft policy capped market fees and commission charges, which the Punjab government believes contradicts constitutional provisions and would harm the state’s agricultural infrastructure.
The state government’s resolution also points out that agricultural marketing is a state subject under the Indian Constitution and emphasises that policies should be tailored to the specific needs of each state.
The resolution further raises concerns about contract farming and the classification of silos as deemed market yards, which farmers fear could lead to the privatisation of essential agricultural functions, such as the Food Corporation of India’s procurement operations, potentially phasing out MSP-based purchases.
Another major concern raised is the reduction of the Rural Development Fee (RDF) and Market Development Fee (MDF), which have been crucial in maintaining Punjab’s mandi infrastructure and rural road network. The state has built around 1,900 mandis and 65,000 km of rural roads using these funds, ensuring farmers have access to markets.
Any reduction in these fees would make it difficult to maintain this infrastructure, directly impacting farmers’ ability to sell their produce at remunerative prices, the resolution states. At the assembly, the Punjab government will urge the Centre to allow states the autonomy to formulate policies based on their own agricultural requirements.
Last year, the central government shared the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing with the Punjab government for its views. Punjab farmers have already rejected the draft policy, with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha vociferously opposing it.
Speaking to the media soon after a meeting with the Centre’s panel on February 22 in Chandigarh, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated, “We have requested Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, and Food Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak that the new agriculture framework brought in by the Centre must be rejected during the special Vidhan Sabha session.”