9th round of talks underway between farmers, Centre

New Delhi: The ninth round of talks between the Centre and farmers protesting against three farm bills is underway at Vigyan Bhawan in the national Capital on Friday afternoon.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash from Punjab have been holding the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions.

Talking to media ahead of the talk this morning, Mr Tomar said that apart from the setting up a committee by the Supreme Court, the government is also continuing talks with farmer unions to sort out their grievances with an open mind.

A source in the Government set up has indicated that the the Centre is willing to amend certain provisions of these farm laws but the farmer’s unions have been asking to scrap them.

On January 12, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of controversial new farm laws till further orders and constituted a four-member committee to hold talks with farmers and submit its report within two months.

The Farmers’ unions had already expressed their reservations for appearing before any committee and also they had rejected the Government’s proposal for setting up a committee to look in to their grievances.

A nominated member Bhupinder Man on Thursday recused himself from the committee appointed by the Supreme Court and pledged his support to the protesting farmers.

Thousands of farmers under the banners of 40 farmers’ unions, have been protesting at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders, demanding the withdrawal of the new farm laws.

The three laws include Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.

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